A House Divided
by hoppnhorn
Summary: Pre-Movie: Sequel to "Jacked". Billy and the gang team up with "the Hall" to take down a dangerous new force in the city. Billy/OC Joey/OC Rated M for Sex, Violence, Drugs, Language, all the other bad things...
1. Chapter 1

**First chapter. =) Hope you guys likeeee.  
>Just incase you didn't read the previous story…uh…you're gonna need to. "Jacked". Go now.<strong>

**Enjoy. =)**

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><p>"What's goin' on Bill? You're freakin' me out." Bodie whispered, leaning towards his friend. Billy grinned and took a deep drag, hissing it out of his curled lips.<p>

"Just wait." On the edge of town, a parking garage was left to die, condemned after an asbestos warning in the adjoining building had put it out of business. Rain poured down around the cement enclosure, slapping the ground violently as it fell. The sound echoed in the empty space and it soothed Billy, but not his men.

They all stood around him, leaning against the Duster and Mustang they'd arrived in. He hadn't told them what he had planned. People talked too much and this needed to be on the down low, the quiet side.

The sound of a car broke the concentration of the group and Billy flicked his butt to the ground. He knew that motor. Standing off his black car, he cracked his neck. _Show time._ The men watched as he put his hands in his pockets, raising his shoulders to flaunt his height. This was his signature sign of territory; the boys fidgeted, mimicking the stance in their own forms.

The familiar grey 1970 Plymouth Hemi-Cuda pulled in through the curtain of rain, followed shortly by a white 1980 Lincoln Continental. Billy's men tensed as the cars grew closer and came to a lurching halt, testing their bravery. Their leader only snorted, unmoved by the attempt at intimidation.

Sid was the first to appear, stepping from the Plymouth slowly like an old western sheriff dismounting a horse. He glared at Billy and slammed his door. It was obvious he wasn't over their previous scuffle; the one where Billy ended up with Sid's gun pointed at Sid's head. His buzz cut accented his large arms but they didn't make up for his height. Standing at about five foot seven, he was extremely short for such a dangerous trade. Billy flexed his jaw and kept his body square. Eventually he'd set this guy straight but, for now, he needed to just wait.

More men clamored from the Lincoln, four to be exact, and two more crawled from the back seat of the Plymouth. Totaling eight. Billy recognized the tall redhead from the corner but the rest were strangers to him. His men glared and Bodie leaned over, whispering into Billy's ear.

"What the fuck, Bill. Aren't these guys…" Billy hushed him with a glance, using his eyes to communicate. He knew exactly what he was doing.

Sid circled the Plymouth's as the driver door opened. She stood from the car with a cigarette perched between her lips. Her jacket was open, revealing a red spandex t-shirt beneath; black steel-toed boots cloaked by dark jeans scuffed the cement as they hit the ground. Bodie stiffened and his eyes went wide.

"No way." He murmured. Sid smirked and crossed his arms as Helen stepped around him, clapping him on the shoulder. Billy hid his smile and flexed his jaw instead. It had been almost three days since he'd found her in the back of the Four Roses. Seeing her again lessened the fear in his gut, the foolish anxiety of that entire night being a dream. She was alive and well; now the whole Darley gang knew it. Bodie shook his head and the other men watched him. No one in the Darley gang really knew what Helen looked like. Her identity had remained a mystery to all besides Billy and Bodie.

"You're dead." Bodie added, shaking his head in disbelief. Sid snarled.

"Fuck no she aint." Helen snorted and squared her stance. Billy's eyes drifted down her right leg, remembering the scar. He'd never figured out what happened, how she'd been hurt so badly, but he'd convinced her to hold this meeting.

"Back the fuck off." Billy growled at Sid. Regardless of his intentions here, no one spoke to his second that way. Helen rolled her eyes and released Sid's shoulder.

"All right boys, put your dicks away." She crossed towards her four other men, walking slowly and deliberately. He noticed the strength in each step; she was getting better each day, although, he hadn't helped things along. Both of them had barely been able to walk the day after she'd surprised him.

"We're here for a reason." Helen said, looking down the line of Billy's men. "Let's stick to business." Everyone straightened and Billy took a drag, stepping forward.

"I think you got a little explaining to do." He growled. "Cuz frankly, I'm sick of the games." Sid took a step and Bodie was off the car, locking his jaw and flanking Billy.

"Watch your tone, Darley." Sid snarled. Bodie showed his teeth, hissing through them.

"You watch your step, asshole." He retorted. The two locked eyes and pursed their lips, flaring their nostrils with fury. Helen came up behind Sid and passed him. Billy approached her with a crack of his neck. This was all about territory and domination, something they struggled with constantly, even in bed.

"I don't have to explain shit, Darley." She murmured, pointing at him with two fingers. "My business is my business."

"If you're stuck in shit, we're all in shit." He retorted. That silenced everyone. Bodie glanced back at Billy with a puzzled look and Sid slacked his shoulders. Since when did one gang need the other? Baggy stood off the car and Billy pointed at him.

"Who's your sister fuckin'?" Confused faces broke out among his crew and Baggy froze. One of Helen's men shifted, giving himself away. Billy nodded towards the culprit, but kept his eyes on Baggy. "Him?" Helen stared at her man, raising an eyebrow.

"He right, Kade?" The man slowly nodded, his short black hair bobbing with his head. Billy continued to address Baggy.

"Why didn't you do somethin'?" Baggy opened his mouth but Billy cut him off. "Why didn't you kill the fucker, huh? He's the competition and he's shovin' his dick in your sister." Kade stepped forward, frowning angrily. Helen grabbed a fist full of the front of his shirt, stopping him in his tracks. Billy grinned at him. "Yeah, I'll bet that makes you mad." He stared at Kade as the man heaved furious breaths behind Helen's hold.

"Fuck this got to do with shit, Darley?" She hissed, glaring at him. Billy locked eyes with her.

"Why Bag?" He yelled over his shoulder, his voice echoing around them. Baggy stood frozen and just looked between Billy and Kade, glancing at Bodie in confusion. Billy turned his head and shot an ice-cold glare at him. "Why didn't you do anythin'?" Baggy helplessly looked into Billy's eyes, speaking slowly and nervously. One wrong answer and he could set off a major bomb.

"I don't got a problem." He murmured. Billy's brows relaxed. Correct answer.

"What?" He asked. Baggy swallowed and deepened his voice.

"I didn't have a beef with the Hall." Helen's fist loosened on Kade's shirt and he sat back on his heels, no longer hunching on the defensive. Billy held back a grin. The truth. As proud as the gangs were, that was the truth. They had no problems with the other. He shifted his gaze back to Kade.

"You got a beef with my crew?" He asked bluntly. Helen looked up into Kade's face as he shook his head.

"No." He muttered. Sid angrily frowned.

"Your guy fuckin' cut up one of our girls last year." He snarled, pointing at Dog. Billy ground his teeth, ready to give up and just kill the annoying henchman, but Helen barked at him.

"That was squared between me and Darley." She growled. "You fuckin' know that." She turned back to Billy, blinking slowly to calm her tone. "What's your point?"

"We aren't allies, but we aren't enemies." He used his hands as he continued. "This city belongs to us, pure and fuckin' simple. We run the show." He turned and gestured to both his men and Helen's, playing to their pride. "We call the fuckin' shots." Mouths curled into small smiles, the mood of the room slowly edging towards comfortable. Billy looked back at Helen.

"And when someone threatens one, the other is exposed." Helen examined his face then put her hands on her hips, flicking ash to the ground as she chewed a lip in deliberation. Finally she exhaled.

"If someone stuck you, I'd be sayin' the same shit." She murmured. Billy wanted to smile, appreciate the faint sentiment in the phrase, but he didn't. "We may not like it…" She said, glancing at Sid. "…but together we clean up fast." Helen snorted. "Shit gets done." Bodie nodded.

"Like B street." A few haughty laughs escaped both sides of the divide, recalling the open season the two gangs had called on the invader. Now, the punks were reduced to petty crimes on the outskirts of town, running for cover when the real deal drove by. Even Sid gave a curt nod to the affirmative. Helen moved, coming within a foot of Billy.

"This shit aint some idiots with itchy trigger fingers." She glanced back at her men and then scanned Billy's. "This is messier." Bodie walked back behind Billy and gestured to the Darley gang.

"We can fuckin' handle messy." He purred, clapping a hand on Billy's shoulder. Sneers and nods followed his remark and Billy tilted his head back, putting his hands in his pockets. Helen cocked an eyebrow and smirked.

"Well then, Darley. You got yourselves a shit show." She looked over at Sid and he came to her side. "Tell 'em what you found out." The look in his eye made Billy's stomach dance. He'd never faced something he couldn't handle but, then again, Helen hadn't either.

"We got a trafficker."

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><p>"<em>Why'd you dye it again?"<em> _He asked, blowing smoke over his head. His chest was glistened with sweat but his breath had long slowed to a comfortable pace. Helen cracked her ankle with a twist and sighed, putting an arm behind her head as she stretched out on the mattress beside him. _

"_Hated it." Billy snorted and eyed her short, blonde hair. Honestly, he didn't remember what her hair had looked like before. She'd changed it so many times, he couldn't keep track, nor did he care to. His eyes rested on her face and he watched her take another drag, casually staring at the ceiling. Her neck was marred with purple marks and they continued down her chest. He'd bitten, sucked, and tasted every inch of her. _

"_Where were ya?" He finally asked, leaning his head back against the headboard. Resting one arm on his bent knee, he let his cigarette smolder between his fingers. _

"_No where." She murmured. Billy frowned and closed his eyes, locking his jaw. He didn't want to press her, didn't want to sound like he'd cared. But he did. What had happened? Where did that scar come from?_

"_How bad?" He muttered. Helen moved and he opened his eyes to look at her. She sat up and surprised him by straddling his lap. Kissing his neck, she sat on his thighs. _

"_Doesn't matter." Billy ground his teeth, closing his eyes once again out of frustration. Helen stopped and sighed. "God, you goin' soft?" She muttered. He glared at her, flashing his steely blue irises. _

"_Fuck you." He growled, shoving her off his legs roughly. Her fist met his shoulder and he snarled, grabbing her wrist and pinning her down. _

"_What, I gotta run everything by you now?" She hissed, seething under his naked torso. _

"_One day you're in this room, tellin' me you're dealin' with somethin'. The next I hear you're fuckin' dead. WANNA CLEAR THAT UP!" He roared, screaming in her face. _

"_Why the fuck do you care? I'm not dead. AND YOU GOT LAID! HAPPY?" He snarled and shoved away, lurching off the mattress and grabbing his jeans from the floor. _

"_The fuck I care." He muttered. Yanking them up his legs. Billy turned and pointed at her. "YOU CAME TO MY BAR! YOU CAME TO ME!" He panted and she glared at him, sitting up on the bed. Wiping the back of his hand over his nose, he gave an angry exhale. Then he snatched his shirt from the floor. Shoving it over his head, he pointed at her again. "That means somethin'." He said with a huff, starting for the door after tugging his jacket off a chair. Helen grabbed a pillow, throwing it as hard as she could after him. _

"_GODDAMN YOU." She screamed. Billy stopped as it bounced harmlessly off his side and he turned. It wasn't the pillow that made him stop; it was her voice. He looked at her and saw the crack in her mask. She grit her teeth and avoided his eyes. "I hate you." Helen hissed. Billy tossed his jacket back on the chair. "I fuckin' hate you." He just waited, standing in the doorway as she fumed at him. With a fist, she hit her own knee, fighting the obvious emotion building inside of her. It took her minutes of silence and deep breaths before she spoke again, before she'd risk speaking again. _

"_I went because I wanted to, ok?" She hissed. Billy didn't react, any movement would spook the confession he'd evoked and he wanted to hear her out. "YOU HAPPY?" She suddenly growled, glaring at him. "You try nearly bleeding to death and waking up, realizing you're just as human as the rest of the fuckin' world! That you're just as weak." He felt the impact of her words. Her death had the same sort of effect on him, showing him that even the strong could fall. Billy stepped towards the bed again and Helen hissed at him. "I fuckin' hate you." _

"_Sure." He said, standing with his shins against the mattress border. She looked away from him, stubborn and angry. _

"_Fuck you." Billy grabbed one of her ankles. _

"_Watch your mouth." He snarled, tugging her to the edge of the bed. She slapped at his arm and he growled, gripping her harder. _

"_Get off." She hissed, kicking in his hold. "Don't wanna touch you." Helen muttered. Billy pulled her closer and leaned onto the mattress. _

"_Shut up." He retorted, sliding his second hand behind her neck and pulling her face to his. She fought his kiss for a moment, glaring at him and pushing his chest away but he won out, biting her lip until she opened her mouth and allowed him entry. They both took deep inhales through their noses, closing their eyes while their pulses rose once again._

_Insatiable didn't cover it._

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><p><strong>And where it stops…nobody knows….even me. LOVE YOU GUYS! even you silent readers… ;)<br>~leeseelee, Sparkly Blue Eyes, Dreamer2987, sunstar234, Darleys Little Devil~**


	2. Chapter 2

**I'm on a Billy trip….Enjoy =) **

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><p>Screams are an awful thing to wake up to. Nothing jolts the brain like a good, loud yell.<p>

"WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON HERE?" Joey shot straight up from sleep and immediately was standing, buck-naked. Danny made a similar jump from bed, covering herself with the sheet.

"DAD?" Joey's vision was still blurry but a man with a red face and a tight golf shirt was slowly becoming visible in the door. His blonde hair hinted at a dye job and the mustache on his lip looked forced. With glaring green eyes, he busted into the room.

"WHO THE FUCK IS THIS PUNK?" He screamed, coming at Joey like an angry grizzly bear.

"BACK THE FUCK OFF OLD MAN!" Joey bellowed, preparing to fight off the furious intruder. The man stopped momentarily and looked Joey up and down, fuming at his lack of clothing. His tattoos probably didn't help either.

"Dad, please." Danny begged, rushing around to stand in front of her lover. She'd been careful to keep him secret, but they'd gotten sloppy. "He's my boyfriend." Joey squared his shoulders and locked his jaw. He stood behind her, proud and possessive; this was his territory and he wasn't scampering away with his tail between his legs. He also wasn't putting his dick away.

"Since when do you have men sleeping over here!" Her father's voice was still angry but he was lowering his voice.

"Since I met him months ago." She answered calmly. "We were together before I even moved here." Joey would have corrected her normally, but in this situation it was best to gloss over their lack of commitment when they'd first started sleeping together. Greg Reynolds huffed loudly, looking from his sheet-draped daughter to the glaring boy behind her.

"I want you out." He growled, nodding to Joey. "Get the fuck out of this apartment." Danny stepped forward, shuffling to her father.

"Dad no—" Joey didn't let her finish.

"I'm not goin' anywhere." Greg fumed, grinding his teeth.

"Danielle, I didn't move you out of my house so you could fuck freely." He spat, keeping his eyes locked on Joey. His daughter flinched and Joey's anger licked into a flaming rage.

"DON'T TALK TO HER THAT WAY!" He thundered, evoking his deep Darley voice and stepping forward. Danny saw the situation escalating and she pushed Joey's chest with an open palm, physically separating the men in her life.

"Just stop." She begged. Her father flipped out a phone and starting dialing.

"I'm calling the police. Get this asshole out of my apartment." He growled. Joey scoffed huskily.

"You don't own this apartment." Greg shot him a look of pure hatred. "Danny's name is on the lease. Her paychecks go towards the rent." Joey added, grinning evilly with squinting eyes.

"Who do you think pays her, huh asshole?" Greg spat, hissing through his bleached teeth. Danny shot forward and grabbed the phone, closing it and gripping it tight in her fist. Joey saw her shoulders hunch and he felt his stomach tighten. She was angry.

"WOULD YOU BOTH SHUT THE FUCK UP?" She shrieked. Both men obeyed and glared at her, Joey more awe struck than angry. He loved her sporadic temper. She took a few breaths and gestured with her one free hand, the other clutched the sheet around her chest.

"I admit, this isn't how I wanted you two to meet." Danny looked at her dad. "But Joey is my boyfriend and he sleeps over." Greg opened his mouth but she cut him off with a quick arm movement. "I'm a big girl, dad. I make my own choices." He clamped his teeth closed and glared at Joey. "I didn't tell you about him because, frankly, I knew you two wouldn't get along." She looked back at Joey. "But I love Joey." Joey beamed at her, wanting to hold her against his body and claim her with it. Danny turned and continued to address her father. "And I technically own this apartment. I can have whomever I choose in it." Greg's hands clenched into fists.

"Danielle, he's a punk. He's using you—" That set Joey off and he charged, ready to tear the man to pieces.

"FUCK YOU ASSHOLE." He growled. Danny pinned herself between them, wrapping her hands around Joey's face.

"Stop, stop. Joey." He hissed furiously. Used her. What an accusation. If anything, she needed him as badly as he needed her. "I want you to leave, dad." Greg shook his head violently.

"That's too damn bad. I'm your father and you're my daughter. What I say goes." Danny clicked her tongue with frustration and frowned deeply.

"Dad! I'm not fuckin' asking. This is my home and I'm telling you to please leave!" Joey would have hugged her if he hadn't been so mad. Danny standing up for herself was turning him on and making him proud. It reminded him of her the night they first met: full of fire and determination. Greg hissed angry breaths of out his nose, staring at his daughter with unparalleled fury. "And I'd appreciate you letting me know when you plan on showing up. I gave you a key as a courtesy." That struck him dumb. She was being very respectful even though her words stripped him of his privileges.

"Danielle—" She pointed towards the door.

"I'll see you later." He bit down and shoved a finger in her face.

"You're finished at the grill. We'll see who controls what then." And with those words, he turned and stormed from the apartment, slamming the door behind them. Joey growled.

"Asshole."

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><p>"I don't like this." He mumbled, blowing smoke out of his window. It was unnecessary to involve the Darley gang; he could handle anything. He glanced over at Helen. He'd saved her life and he'd do it a hundred times.<p>

"It's not a discussion, Sid." She mumbled. "We need the extra force." He grumbled to himself and looked out the window. The sun had started rising outside yet he hadn't slept a wink. His brown eyes shone back at him in the glinting glass and he blinked slowly, calming the frustration in his gut. Helen was his leader and friend, but sometimes she was a real headstrong bitch. The whole situation made him queasy. She was still vulnerable, yet she'd insisted on making a move this early in the game. Sid glanced over at Helen. He'd seen the pain; he knew the risks. If even the smallest thing went untreated, she could loose a lot more than the feeling in her leg. Complications. The doc had called them complications. Sid called them risks.

"What about the girls? What do I tell 'em?" He muttered, thinking about the house of women waiting for instructions from him. He was a pimp, but a good pimp. Slapping his girls would only cause them loath him so he'd used the same technique he'd used with his pit bulls. Merit-based reward. If they played nice then they were paid nice. Sid treated them well and Helen held maintained discipline, especially after Dixie.

"Tell 'em that we're handlin' it. They don't need to know the details." He nodded. A little went a long way. Just a simple assurance that skulls were being knocked around would ease the fear. Because, let's face it, all of his girls were afraid. They may not be able to see the snake in the grass, but they knew it was there.

Kade shifted in the backseat and Helen glared back at him through the review mirror. His black hair was spiked in the front, jutting out from his tanned forehead.

"Tell me what I should do with you." She said angrily, flicking her eyes between the reflection and the road. "Because I'm at a loss." Kade swallowed.

"Hell, I—"

"I think I should cut off your dick. That way it won't cause me fuckin' problems!" Kade shifted and subconsciously a hand slid up his long leg to the thigh. Sid looked back at him and snorted.

"How long you been stuffin' her?" He grunted. Kade's eyes darkened.

"Shut the fuck up, Sid. You can fuckin' go to hell." He growled. Sid only laughed.

"Come on kiddo? Do the Darley girls taste good?" With that, Kade launched himself from the back seat, balling his fist and ramming it into Sid's shoulder. Helen rolled her eyes as the two men hit each other, grunting and hissing like animals.

"SIT THE FUCK DOWN!" She finally screamed, hitting Kade's head. "Fuckin' idiots." Helen muttered. Sid huffed slightly and straightened his jacket. Kade flopped back into the seat, rubbing the back of his skull.

"Fuck you, Sid." He murmured.

"Shut your fuckin' mouth." Sid replied, pointing angrily from the front seat. Helen growled.

"Both of you, shut it." She glared at the man beside her. "You're just as guilty, not knowing your brother's porkin' some Darley member's sister." Sid fumed and shot a look back at the younger man.

"Fuckin' sneaky bastard." He muttered. Kade only smirked.

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><p>He'd been so high strung from the evening meeting; it took eight beers, half a pack of smokes, and a joint to calm him down. It was early morning and he'd just started to relax. Billy sighed, tilting his head back. The chick with his dick in her mouth didn't hurt either. He took a drag on a fresh smoke as she bobbed on him repeatedly, surrounding his hard flesh with her wet mouth. His hips rocked slightly but he didn't make a sound other than hissing smoke into the air. He was going to last a while and he knew it.<p>

_The headboard bruised his spine, thumping against the wall as his back hit the wood. He didn't care, the whole room could fall down and he wouldn't blink an eye. Helen took another deep breath, panting hard as she rode his lap. They'd been going at this for hours and the exhaustion was evident on both parts. He took her torso into his hands and pulled a breast to his mouth, sucking and nibbling from his seated position. She let out a moan and clutched his head. _

"_Fuck I miss your hair." She swore, moving one hand to his knee behind her. "Can't fuckin' hold on—shit Darley." Helen arched her back, moving him in and out of her. Billy leaned back and grunted at the sight of her wetness on his shaft. His thumbs pressed into her thighs as he watched, fixated on his penetration, his connection to her. Then he reached up and cupped her jaw, surprising her with the sudden movement. She stared at him as he ran a finger over her lip and then pressed it to her mouth. _

"_Open." He ordered with a groan. Helen smirked and bit the tip of his finger before drawing it into her mouth. Her compliance was a sign of ease. She was, after all, on top. Her tongue contracted around the digit and Billy felt himself twitch inside of her. Helen must have felt it also, because she let out a moan and came down on him hard, taking him to the hilt. "FUCK." He growled, clamping his eyes closed. Billy removed the finger with haste and brought it between her legs, sliding it beside his cock. He wanted to feel her come. _

"_Shit Darley." Helen moaned, grabbing his neck to pull herself high on his hips. She lowered slowly to accommodate the new penetration. "Oh fuck." Billy tossed his head back; she was slick and hot as a flame, grasping him like a fist. Instinct and animal drive took over. He lurched from the headboard and pinned her down, spreading her legs and raising them to his shoulders. She gasped and moaned, scratching white lines down his stomach as he pounded. Their bodies were on fire and their voices rose to yells, growling and panting as they fucked harder and harder. _

"Jesus." Billy moaned, bucking up into the whore's mouth. He came with a ferocity that surprised the girl between his knees; she looked up at him, swallowing and licking.

"Did you enjoy that, Billy?" She purred, stroking his softening cock. He took several deep breaths, remembering his fantasy. No, not a fantasy. Reality. He grinned to himself. Those were memories now. He snorted, pulling a smoke out of his jacket pocket. He hadn't even bothered to take it off.

"Wanna fuck me?" She said, standing up and sliding her mini skirt down to the floor. He eyed her and shrugged. His mood surprised even him. The girl dropped to her knees instantly, taking his dick in hand and pumping him excitedly. After a bit of sucking and rubbing, he'd risen to the occasion once more and she went to straddle him. Billy grabbed her hips and spun her around, lowering her so her butt rubbed his groin as she rode him.

"Oh yeah." She moaned, grasping his knees and bouncing on his lap. Billy sat back and smoked, closing his eyes to start remembering once again. He had plenty of material to choose from.

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><p><strong>Muahaha. Can't get enough of him. <strong>

**LOVE TO MY FAITHFULS!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Enjoy. =)**

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><p>"I don't want that house left unwatched. Yeah?" Sid nodded as Helen smoked, barking at him. Her temper was on edge and she ran a hand over her thigh, tracing the scar beneath the denim. His eyebrows rose. Complications. Doc's words whispered in his ear.<p>

"You need somethin'?" He asked quietly, knowing her reaction would be sharp. Asking for help was not her thing. When she didn't immediately yell at him, he felt his stomach clench.

"Nah." She finally murmured, letting her brow fall. Sid rose and poked his head outside the office door. They were at the laundromat, working like usual, only now Helen had three men between her and the alley. Sid signaled for Neil, a tall man with long blond hair, to go outside. When he'd ducked out into the alley, Sid closed the office door, turning to Helen.

"How bad?" She closed her eyes and snarled.

"Sid, can it." He leaned against the door, crossing his arms. She didn't look at him, choosing to ignore him instead. Helen took a drag and glared out the tiny window at the ceiling. "Stop staring." She finally growled. He shook his head.

"I can get you somethin'." He had been one of the finest thieves in Boston, raised by a line of bank robbers. When he'd met Helen at a bar, she'd been eighteen, angry, and ready to make money. Pulling heists was a talent, but being her underboss, that was his true calling. Helen swung her legs over the desk and stood abruptly, her anger returning.

"What did I say?" She snarled, closing in on him. Sid held his ground. As much as Helen was his superior, he also knew she valued him. Regardless of her words, he knew deep down she'd step in front of bullet to save his life because she expected the same from him. Sid feared her but only to the extent of her title. Past that, she was his friend.

"Hell…it's just some dope." He murmured. Scoffing, she took another drag, exhaling angrily.

"I can't be doped up, Sid." She lowered her voice, softening her eyes. "Shit's, pathetic." He shook his head.

"You're gonna make it worse." Helen grunted and shoved his shoulder.

"Do me a favor?" He raised an eyebrow and she leaned forward, close to his face. "Shut up."

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><p>Sammy set down a basket of wings, nodding to Billy as he backed from the booth. He returned the nod and raised his glass, taking a swig. Counting bills quietly, he folded stacks in half and wrapped rubber bands around each grand. So far, Heco and Tommy had checked in, leaving Bodie and Jaime.<p>

His eyes felt heavy after not getting much sleep. He'd been so relaxed that night had blended with day until the sun was shining and the corners were waiting. Billy inhaled and eyed the food sitting in front of him, debating whether or not he wanted to embark on that endeavor; bar food was never neat. He had decided against it when the front door opened, letting in bright rays of sun. Sammy glanced up as Bodie strode inside.

"Yo dog." He muttered to the bartender, receiving a similar response. Billy settled back into his seat, taking a drag as his friend approached. Bodie sunk into the spot opposite him and dug into his back pocket, pulling out a wad of cash.

"I'm out." He said, letting out a breath. "All three grand's worth." Billy nodded, took the money, rolled off the rubber band and flattened the bills.

"Good." He muttered, counting the money while Bodie eyed his wings.

"You gonna—?" Billy waved a hand and Bodie pulled the basket over to his side of the table. They two sat in silence, Billy thumbing bills and Bodie chewing enthusiastically. When all of the money was folded and in bands, Billy scooped them into the canvas bad that was setting on the table. He leaned back and groaned, closing his eyes as he took a drag.

"Just barely gonna cut it." He muttered. Bodie raised an eyebrow.

"Then why the fuck are we worryin' about Hall problems? They can save their own asses." Billy sat up and leaned his elbows on the table.

"Cuz I don't need to worry about foreign fuckers lurckin' on my streets." He took another drag and pointed at the front door as he exhaled. "How long you think they'll just let us be?" Billy shook his head and sat back again. "The Hall goes down, we're next." Bodie chewed, processing.

"You think we should tell Bones?" Billy ground his teeth. In reality, telling Bones would be a good move. They'd have more resources at their disposal. But Billy's pride was tremendous and going to the fat bastard wasn't on his to-do list.

"Fuck no. That asshole is worthless." Bodie just plucked another wing from the basket, ignoring the arguments he could make. The front door opened again and Spink shuffled inside, followed by Jaime and Joey. Billy relaxed at the sight of his brother and stood from the booth.

"Hey Bill." Joey gave his brother quick, one-armed hug, ducking into the booth. Billy sat down and Bodie slid over, allowing Jaime and Spink to sit beside him. He scooted the basket with him and Joey quickly snagged a wing, taking a bite while Bodie made a face. Spink set a roll of bills on the table and Billy repeated his process, counting and folding until the take was with the rest in the canvas bag. Joey nudged his brother.

"Tommy told me about Helen Gates." Billy smirked. He'd forgotten to tell Joey about Helen's resurrection.

"Yeah. Fooled us all." He muttered. Bodie raised an eyebrow.

"I wanna know how you found out." He said, plopping a clean bone into the basket. "You called that meetin, you knew." Billy sat up in his seat and he felt the scratches on his ass. Oh yeah, he'd known Helen was alive and kicking.

"She got word to me. Told me about trouble." He said, trying to play off the true nature of their reunion. None of his men needed to know, not even Bodie.

"Speakin' of it." Jaime piped up. "What we gonna do 'bout these new guys?" Billy felt a tingle at the base of his gut. The new guys.

What he should have said was 'the enemy'. This wasn't just another gang, this was bigger problem than Billy had ever faced. A bigger problem than anyone in Stokely had dealt with. Human traffickers: cutthroat, heartless foreigners who shipped women in from around the globe and moved them inland. Boston was a convenient ocean city and someone had decided Stokely was a new trading post in the crime ring.

Sid hadn't learned too much. The men they were dealing with here lethal and careful, leaving no loose ends and no trails. And they didn't like having two gangs for neighbors.

"We keep our eyes open and ears to the ground. They'll come sniffin' eventually." Billy said. His fingers twitched as he dangled his cigarette in a hand. He'd be ready and they'd be sorry. Jaime took the answer with a nod. A beer appeared in front of Billy and he glanced up. Baggy's sister, Tiffany, smiled at the five men, placing drinks in front of them. Billy gave her a polite nod and Bodie lifted the basket.

"Can I get another one of these?" He asked, eyeing Joey with a squint. The younger Darley grinned, licking wing sauce off his fingers. Tiffany quietly nodded and took the empty, starting towards the bar. Billy watched her go and remembered the punk from the garage. Maybe someday the two gangs would be more than just friendly, connected by something more than just mutual trust. Connected…suddenly his mind wandered to images of his body tangled with Helen's on the motel bed.

"How was she?" The question startled Billy and he whirled on Joey.

"What the fuck does that mean?" He barked, irrationally paranoid about his private thoughts. Joey frowned and made a face.

"Calm down. Just wonderin' what happened to her is all." He was talking about Helen's health. Billy let out a snort.

"Fine I guess." He answered. Liar. He knew exactly how she was. Phenomenal. His phone vibrated in his pocket and Billy pulled it out, looking at the screen.

**H**

He raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised. "Speak of the fuckin' devil." He mumbled, whipping the phone open.

* * *

><p>The afternoon had been pretty quiet, customers moving in and out quickly. Helen just stayed in the corner of the empty office, smoking ominously with dark eyes. A few regulars had acknowledged her return, asking quiet questions but Sid had dismissed them. Let the rumors spread: long live Helen Gates.<p>

After an hour or so of inactivity, Sid stepped out into the hall. Neil was leaning against the faded drywall, smoking a small butt. The extra security was a comfort but it also meant a lot of wasted man-hours.

"Make yourself useful, go get some food." Neil stood up and nodded, flicking his butt to the floor.

"Sure." He muttered, sauntering to the back door. Sid ducked back into the office, taking his seat in the sole chair inside. Helen kicked a foot side to side off the edge of the desk, idly staring at the wall.

"You remember how it was?" She murmured, her gaze unfocused. Sid looked over at her, leaning his elbows on his knees.

"When we first started?" He asked quietly, thinking back. Helen smiled a little, almost in a trance-like state.

"God, we were unstoppable." She whispered. Sid nodded lightly, remembering the violence. Starting the gang had made a lot of people mad; plenty of blood had to flow before a balance had been found.

"We still are, Hell." Her smile vanished and her eyes dulled.

"Yeah."

Sid's phone buzzed in his pocket and he pulled it out.

"Yeah." He muttered.

"The sedan is back." Neil's voice was hushed and low. He had to be hiding. Sid stood from the chair and motioned to Helen. She dismounted the desk swiftly.

"Where?"

"Block west. Same plate." Sid hissed. The fuckers were back, watching and waiting. Helen took a hard drag, frowning deeply. He pulled the phone from his face.

"Their back." She hissed out the smoke and Sid turned his mouth towards the receiver. "Follow 'em—" Helen growled and grabbed the phone from his face.

"Fuck that, Neil. Sit tight." She snapped the phone closed. Sid frowned.

"Are you fuckin' kiddin', Hell—" She snarled and strode past him.

"I'm fuckin' tired of watchin'. I want off the fuckin' bench." He followed her out of the laundromat and they spotted Neil, looming behind the strip a block to the left. They jogged behind the shadowy buildings, falling into a crouches behind the blond man. He pointed and whispered.

"The black one, the Legacy." Helen nodded, eyeing the Subaru sedan that was parked under a tree across the street. She pulled out her phone and her blade, dialing a number with her thumb as she flicked open the knife. It rang a few times and Sid felt his heart racing, adrenaline coursing through his veins. Then a low gruff voice barked in her ear.

"What?" She sneered and answered in a hushed voice.

"Darley, wanna play twenty questions?"

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><p><strong>LOVE TO MY FAITHFULS! =)<strong>


	4. Chapter 4

**Enjoy =)**

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><p><em>The sun made the air thick, radiating up from the black asphalt like an oven in heavy waves. Her blood throbbed in her ears but her hand was steady. It had been months since she'd seen any action; she had a fix to feed. <em>

_Ripping open the driver's side door, Helen's hand quickly found the hair of the occupant inside. The driver's shouts sounded off down the block, echoing off the sidewalks and storefronts, but no one cared. Everyone kept their heads down, ignoring the obvious violence erupting on the street. This was her town; Helen Gates did as she pleased. Yanking with unfeminine strength, she pulled a pale blond man from the seat. Using her grip on his straight, short locks, she brought him to his knees outside the car. He fell silent as her knife rested again his throat. _

"_Welcome to Stokely." She hissed. Helen glanced up to see that Sid had emptied the passenger side, holding his .45 to the head of a brown-haired man. Both strangers held numb faces, giving off no indication of intimidation at deadly force. These were trained men and they weren't going to be easy to crack. Helen motioned to Neil with a swift nod of her head and he hurried to her side, using an acquired roll of duck tape to bind her victims. _

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><p>Billy didn't like the silence as he, Bodie, and Baggy crept down a hall in the darkening building. Helen had told them to come here, back to the old garage, and go into the abandoned office space next door. They stepped quietly through the shadows, Billy's hand resting in the small of his back, fingering the .45 in his waistband. It was way too quiet.<p>

An earth-shattering scream ripped through the air and all three men froze, looking around them with wide eyes. It was a man, hollering in agony. Billy flicked a finger and motioned his boys forward, stepping deeper into the old building towards the sounds. Several paces inward, a dim light appeared in a doorway, coaxing them into a room at the end of the hall. Before they entered, Billy moved the back of his hand over his nose and paused, glancing at Bodie on his right. Another scream permeated the building and both men locked their jaws, stepping solidly through the doorway.

Sid stood in the middle of an emptied conference room, looming over a man with dark hair. He was on his side, wrists and ankles bound with duck tape. Billy raised an eyebrow at the lack of expression on the man's face. Another dark haired man stood in the corner, Kade if memory served. He smoked quietly, leaning on a wall with his legs crossed. He was covered in black: black jeans, black t-shirt, black boots, and black hair, spiked in the front over his forehead. Billy didn't offer acknowledgement to either man, choosing instead to stand a few feet inside the entrance, flanked by the best of his crew. A third scream made Billy's ears ring and he searched the room for the source. There was an open office door to the left and he moved to take a closer look. That's when Sid spoke up.

"I wouldn't do that." He said, not threateningly but with genuine warning. Billy cocked his eyebrow and Bodie clenched his fists, giving Sid a silent warning of his own. The buff man continued. "She's workin' off some…" Another yell cut him off and Billy's eyes shot back to the door. "…anger."

"She gonna kill 'im?" Billy asked, eyeing Kade. For some reason, he wasn't quite ready to address Sid directly. The man shrugged.

"She likes to play, see how long they last." Billy snorted. Sounded like Helen, scary when she wanted to be. Then again, hated children make sick adults.

"Darley, get the fuck in here." Her voice called from inside the room. Sid's eyes locked on Billy as he grinned, striding towards the office door. He loved how badly he bothered her right hand man and he was going to stick it to him each time. With a flick of his hand, he gestured for Baggy and Bodie to wait, slipping into the dark room.

When he strode inside, he pulled a cigarette out of his back pocket. He was going to need it. Helen had a blond man in an old swivel chair, her hand twisted in his hair as she pulled his head back. His throat was exposed and his jaw was clamped shut, angry eyes glaring into the ceiling above. Her mouth was close to his ear and she was whispering with a deep throaty tone. Billy would have been jealous, but then he saw the cuts. Three ran diagonally over his bare chest and one was slashed over his cheek, dark red blood oozing from the flesh.

"You playin' with your food, Hell?" He purred, strangely entertained by the picture. She grinned at him and her eyes sparkled.

"I was never one for following etiquette, Darley." Without warning she yanked back on the blond man's head and he inhaled, his adam's apple bobbing in his throat as he swallowed. "Isn't that right, baby?" She cooed to her prisoner. Billy fought the shiver that climbed up his back. This is was not the time to be aroused.

"You sure you're scary enough?" He said. Helen gave him a stare, flashing her dark irises with a stone cold danger. He wanted to tease her, but he hid a grin and inhaled a long drag instead, striding forward and leaning down to the blond man. He exhaled a cloud of smoke in his face. "She scarin' you fella?" Helen kept her eyes on him and they loomed face to face next to their victim, exchanging charged looks. Then she tore back on the man's hair again and Billy withdrew a fist, ramming it into the blond's stomach.

The man groaned and coughed furiously, fighting to sit up as Helen held his head back. He choked and gagged for air in the restricted position. She murmured into his ear again, grinning devilishly.

"You gonna tell me who hired you? Or is Darley gonna have to hit you again?" Billy stood up, blinked and cracked his neck, rocking his shoulders as he squared his stance. Helen bit her lip and eyed him while she continued. "Billy likes it rough." That put a purr in his chest. He pulled his fist back and hit the man again, causing more choking and moans. As the blond fought for air, Billy leaned in to Helen's face and grumbled deeply.

"I don't remember you complainin'." She grinned and put her mouth to the man's ear once more.

"You gonna talk?" She purred. Billy blinked and locked his jaw, fighting the smile that tingled his lips. The man opened his mouth and gasped, panting.

"Poshol na khui, Sooka." He growled, his lips tugging up in the corners to form a smirk. Billy hit him so fast, Helen jumped. A second blow to the ribs resulted in a spray of blood spewing from the blond man's mouth. He choked violently as she held his head back.

"I didn't know you spoke Russian." Helen teased, flexing her arm to keep a hold on her struggling captive. Billy panted and wiped his hand over his nose. Then he hit the blond again while her eyes gleamed.

"I don't." He eventually growled. She shrugged with a small grin.

"Oh well." Without warning, she grabbed the Russian's chin and pulled, tugging his hair in the opposite direction. A sickening snap made Billy swallow and Helen dropped the limp man's head, standing from her crouched position at his side.

"They aren't useful if you kill them, Hell." Billy hissed at her as she wiped her knife off on her jeans. She sniffed and shrugged.

"I don't like blonds." She said, walking past him. His blood hummed when he remembered her cursing him for cutting off his golden locks; her weight on his lap, her heat surrounding him. Helen held out a hand and motioned for his cigarette, which he handed over. She took a long drag and exhaled towards the ceiling, her neck moving under the skin as she sighed. Then she handed it back to him. "It's been a long three months." She muttered, exiting the room with Billy right behind her.

* * *

><p>"Fuck it all to hell." Danny swore, running her hands through her hair and hanging her head over the table. Joey closed the door behind him slowly, grinning at the string of curses she muttered to herself. He approached slyly, watching her scribble angrily with a pen on the spread of paper in front of her. When he got up behind her chair, he leaned over and plucked the headphones from her ears like lightening, making her gasp and rip around in her seat.<p>

"JESUS CHRIST JOEY!" He cackled, holding his stomach as she rose from the chair, hitting his arms.

"Oh shit! You should have seen your face!" He wheezed, easily deflecting her attacks. Danny crossed her arms and pouted.

"Jerk." She muttered with a tiny smile. He grabbed her t-shirt, tugging her forward and capturing her mouth in his. Danny melting into his chest, allowing him to extend his arms and hold her butt in both hands. After a few moments, they separated and she returned to her seat while he went and sat down next to her, picking up a few of the scattered documents. They were applications, all filled out carefully in black pen. "Maybe college wasn't such a bad idea." Danny muttered, hunching over yet another job application. "I barely qualify to be a manager at the Gap." Joey grinned. He was happy that Danny was sticking to her guns and looking for another job, hoping to keep her apartment and move on without her father's help.

"You should mention your experience with dressing rooms." He joked, unable to help but poke fun. She crossed her eyes at him but laughed regardless.

"Very funny. Haha." Joey stood and walked from the table to the couch, flopping his long body across the cushions.

"What would you do anyway? You can make money without all that school shit." Danny laughed at him and set down her pen, cracking her tired knuckles.

"I don't know. But I know I can't be a cashier forever." Joey looked at her from across the room.

"Why not?" She sighed and cradled her head in her hands as she leant on her elbows.

"Because I just..." Joey tilted his head and she sighed louder. "…I was raised to do something more than that." He frowned.

"Like marry a doctor and play golf at the country club." He muttered bitterly. Joey knew what girls like Danielle Reynolds were expected to do with their lives. Danny didn't answer but her face flushed to a pink hue. "Figured." He added.

"That's not what I meant." Joey rolled his eyes and Danny stood up, crossing the room. "Don't start this again." He snorted.

"Start what?" She leaned against the back of the couch, looking down at him.

"The railroad shit, my side of the tracks, your side of the tracks." She replied. He laughed dryly and avoided her eyes, staring at the blank television instead.

"You said it, not me." He muttered. Danny sighed and circled the couch.

"You're being a proud ass." He raised an eyebrow, anger welling up in his throat.

"I'm proud? Yesterday being a waitress was good enough for ya. Now it's not?"

"It's not about being good enough, its just…" She faltered and sat down, pushing his knees aside so she had room. "…this is a chance for me to see what I'd like to do, not what I have to do." Joey relaxed his brow. He'd never been given that choice. It was drugs and guns from day one. That was his job and that was his life.

"What do you want to do?" He asked carefully, watching her face as she considered the question. Danny eventually lay down, resting her head on his chest.

"I don't know." Joey lightly plucked a section of her hair from her shoulder, dropping it strand by strand.

"I don't want ya to leave." He whispered, pressing his cheek into the top of her head. Danny looked up at him.

"I'm not going anywhere."

* * *

><p><strong>Oh boy. I'm interested to hear what you guys think.<br>btw – The Russian phrase(which btw, I googled so who knows if its accurate) translates to "fuck off, bitch." LOL. Thought you'd like to know.  
>LOVE TO MY FAITHFULS!<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

**Got a little bit of everything in here. Enjoy =)**

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><p>"I'm going to kill you. I hope you realize that." Helen growled. Billy snorted and shook his head, taking another drag as she leant over the dark-haired man at Sid's feet. "It's just a matter of how long I have to hurt you for." She used her knife to point to the door from which she came moments earlier. "Your friend in there…" She grabbed his jaw and tilted him to look at her. "...that was just for fun." With a flick of her wrist, she tossed his head away. "What do I have to do to break you?" She growled. Billy hissed smoke out of his nose.<p>

"That's why I brought Bag." He motioned Baggy forward. "He does a good tune up." Kade shifted uncomfortably in the corner and Baggy eyed him, stepping forward and cracking his knuckles. Helen looked at Billy and stood, reading his expression. Then she shrugged.

"Can't hurt can it?" Then she grinned and looked back down at the bound man, using the toe of her boot to push his jaw to the floor. "Oh yeah. Just kidding." Sid grabbed the victim and hauled him to his knees while Helen stepped out of the way and walked up to Baggy, stopping inches from his face. Then she grinned, circling him slowly as she approached Billy. "Make it count." She purred as Baggy drew his hand back. Kade flinched as the first punched landed.

* * *

><p>Danny's revelation had given Joey a tension headache. Minutes after they'd lain down on the couch, it had started in his neck and crawled up into his head to breed. Now, he stomped into a gas station, taking a direct path towards the isle with assorted meds. Danny wandered in behind him, watching carefully as he huffed over the brands. She glanced over at the cashier and offered a small smile.<p>

"Hi." The guy nodded and seemed to relax as she walked around idly, observing Joey angrily shove around the boxes on the shelf.

"Fuckin…four bucks for a…piece of…fuck." He mumbled to himself, squinting behind a pair of sunglasses. Reaching into his back pocket, he pulled out a cigarette and lit it. The cashier raised an eyebrow.

"You can't smoke that in here, man." Danny closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose as Joey took a long drag and blew it out, slowly turning his head towards the counter.

"Yeah?" Then he put the cigarette to his lips again, sucking hard.

"Joey…" Danny moaned. He shrugged off her complaint and went back to picking a painkiller. She gave the clerk an apologetic look and the man made a face. Then the door to the station dinged and he was distracted, watching another customer walk inside.

"No way." Danny whirled towards the voice, recognizing the punk from the club. "You followin' me sexy?" Her face froze in fear as he and two of his buddies strode in the door. "Where's your punk ass pimp?" He sneered at her, tapping one of his buddies on the chest with a knuckle. "Isn't she a sweet piece of pussy?" Both of the other boys were tall, standing at about six foot; they laughed, rubbing their hands over their mouths. Coming around the corner, Joey lowered his sunglasses, exhaling a cloud of smoke with a hiss. The jock was wearing another polo, the collar popped to match his flanking friends. When he saw Joey, he grinned. "There you are, tiny." Danny stepped in front of Joey, touching his stomach with a light hand.

"There's three of them." She whispered, looking into his darkening glare. He didn't meet her eyes.

"Ya forget about gettin' on your knees for me, Barbie?" Joey growled, taking a drag with a smirk. The punk lost his grin and cracked his knuckles. "Maybe this time I'll make ya eat my cock while you're down there. Teach ya a lesson." Danny blushed, listening to Joey's language change as his temper flared.

"You're gonna regret that." The punk hissed, pointing at Joey with gritted teeth. The clerk eyed the two sides nervously and spoke up.

"Take it outside fellas." He threatened. Joey only smiled crookedly, gesturing with a wide sweep of his arm to the group of boys.

"Ladies first." The three stepped outside and Joey took another drag, following them out the door with a hiss of smoke. Danny grabbed his arm.

"Joey, please just—" He shrugged her away.

"Just buy the shit." He growled, pushing the door open to go outside. She swallowed and eyed the cashier nervously.

* * *

><p>Baggy let out a small hiss, wringing his hand out at his side. The knuckles were split open, red, and bleeding. The blood on his hand was both dried and fresh, the Russian's blood mixing with his own. Billy threw his second cigarette to the ground, squishing it with his boot.<p>

"Where is your gang hidin'?" He repeated, crossing his arms over his chest. The Russian swallowed, lulling his head back in Sid's hold. His face was a mess; his nose, cheeks, eyes, and chin were all oozing from ruptured skin and possibly broken bones. Without speaking, he spit blood out of his mouth, letting it dribble down his chin. Billy eyed Baggy, tilting his head. Baggy cracked his knuckles and drew back his fist, crying out in pain along with the Russian as it collided with his cheek. Helen scoffed in irritation.

"This is pointless." Billy agreed but didn't say anything. He'd never dealt with someone who could take Baggy's blows, especially this many. She ran her fingers through her short blonde hair. "Sid." Picking the Russian off the floor, Sid held him up while Helen strode forward.

"They can't talk if they're dead, Hell." Billy growled. She snorted and turned back to look at him.

"They aren't talkin' anyway, Darley." He stepped forward beside her and they both stared into the man's face.

"What do we do then, huh?" Billy grumbled into her ear. Helen sighed through her nose, watching blood drip down the Russian's forehead from an open gash.

"I don't know." They looked at each other and Billy met her eyes, studying, searching. Then he snarled and turned away, walking back towards the exit.

"Just fuckin' kill 'im. You're good at that." He growled over his shoulder. He motioned for Baggy and Bodie to follow.

"Darley." He glanced behind him. Helen nodded toward the Russian, crossing her arms. "Your turn." Bodie locked onto Billy's face and the two friends exchanged glances. Then Billy walked back to Helen, pulling his .45 from his jeans. She waved Sid away, taking hold of the Russian's shoulder and hair and forcing him to his knees in front of Billy.

He clicked back the hammer and aimed it at the man's forehead while Helen moved a step away, watching his face. As he squeezed the trigger, the two locked eyes once again. Deep brown and steel blue. Billy's veins were burning when the gun went off.

* * *

><p>The three punks lined up, shaking their arms like they fancied themselves prized fighters. Joey only took off his glasses, calmly setting them on the hood of his Chevelle next to his smoldering cigarette.<p>

"You're fuckin' dead, asshole." The lead punk growled, charging him with foolish enthusiasm. Joey snarled and jabbed at his head, hitting him faster than the guy had expected. He reached for his face, blood pouring from his nose. The other two went after Joey next, trying to grab him while their friend leaned over, spitting blood onto the asphalt.

"Broke my fuckin' nose!" He wailed, holding his face. Joey dodged their holds, landing a few more jabs in the punks' ribs and sides and only receiving clumsy smacks in return. He started to grin as they winced and huffed, trying to swing at him in retaliation. He was quick; you had to be to survive his life. After a few more punches, they started to slow, breathing hard and touching their ribs gingerly.

"JOEY!" He spun. Danny struggled in the arms of the leader as he tugged on a fist full of her hair. His mouth and chin were covered in dark blood and he leaned in, whispering into her ear.

"You're gonna forget all about him when I bend you over." He growled, running a hand down her stomach towards her shorts. She thrashed harder, trying to hit him with an elbow, fist, anything. Joey knew he wouldn't be able to hold her for long; but that hadn't been his plan. The two goons grabbed Joey from behind while he was distracted by Danny's cries. He swung wildly, managing to free one hand and connect with one of their faces. Before the second could retaliate, Joey shoved his hand into his back pocket, ripping his switchblade out and flicking it open. Immediately the second punk backed off, raising his hands. Danny called to him.

"Joey, no!" He advanced on the first punk, panting crazily.

"You wanna piece?" He yelled, holding out the knife with a steady arm. Both boys backed up, eyeing the shining blade. Joey smirked and turned on the leader. "Fuckin' get your hands off her." Danny was released and she whirled. Drawing back a leg, she kicked the punk's crotch ruthlessly, causing him to crumble to his knees. She hissed, tears flowing out of her eyes.

"You asshole!" She screamed, slapping his face. He groaned and curled into himself, holding his balls in two hands. Joey was behind her in seconds, knife at the ready, but she pushed him away, snapping at him furiously.

"Get in the fuckin' car!" She shrieked. He huffed, looking past her at the groaning man. Danny shoved him again. "Joey!" When he looked in her eyes, she grit her teeth and slapped his chest. "Go!" With a snarl, he retreated backwards.

Danny stomped to the passenger side door and threw it open, flopping in the seat while Joey lowered himself in the driver's side. He put took a drag on his retrieved cigarette and started the car, peeling out of the lot.

A few blocks later, he glanced over at Danny and reached out to touch her knee.

"You ok?" He asked. She closed her eyes, tears still slowly progressing down her face.

"Just take me home."

* * *

><p><em>Her hands stroked his head, rewarding him like a prized pet. Each moan she relinquished was praise, giving back to him as much as he was giving to her. Billy groaned and tugged her hips closer, circling his tongue around her clit with a heated exhale. Helen tossed her head, a heavenly whine escaping her lips. A whine, from Helen Gates. He grinned to himself, sucking harder between her legs. Her hips rocked in his grasp, her body aching for the motion of his thrusts, the fill of his cock. With his middle finger, Billy stroked her wetness, inching inside of her slowly. <em>

_Another whine. Loud and choked. Helen arched from the bed, pressing his head with her palm. He let a deep chuckle rumble in his chest, vibrating his lips._

"_Shut up, Darley." She whimpered, gyrating faster. "Shut up." Her voice was barely a whisper, hardly as intimidating as he'd grown to expect. Billy took more of her in his mouth, sucking and licking aggressively at the soft flesh. Helen let out another loud moan, putting her hands on her knees and forcing them apart as far as they would go. Using a second finger, he stroked her faster, further slickening her arousal. She gasped and panted, bucking her hips to plunge him to the knuckle. _

"_Darley." He glanced up, kissing her thigh as he continued to stroke her. _

"_What?" Helen motioned him forward, flipping him with her knees as he crawled up her body. _

"_Your turn." She whispered, kissing him lustfully. Then she surprised him, turning away from his head and facing his hips. Billy groaned as he watched her mouth near his cock. _

"_Didn't think you played fair." He purred, running his palms along the backs of her thighs as she straddled his shoulders. Her hand gripped his shaft and he clenched his jaw, bucking into her grasp. Helen licked the head of his cock, making him shudder beneath her. _

"_Just with you." She whispered. He wondered if she'd meant for him to hear the words. But then her mouth was around him and he rocked, lost in the pleasure. He pulled her hips to his face again, continuing right where he'd left off as Helen made him burn and moan._

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><p><strong>Couldn't resist. ;)<strong>


	6. Chapter 6

**This is a little Joey/Danny heavy. You'll have to excuse me. I'm on a Joey rampage. Emotions abound, be honest with me, please. Enjoy. =)**

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><p>She just wanted to curl into oblivion, sink into the cushions until she couldn't feel anymore. Her heart was still pounding in her chest, her stomach was in knots, and her hands shook as she clutched her knees, bringing them into her body. Joey just waited, sitting on the other end of the couch watching her, rubbing his forehead with a hand. Danny pressed her face into her knees, wishing away the events of the afternoon. A rustling made her look up as Joey stood and started for the door, flexing his jaw angrily.<p>

"Don't leave." She whispered. He stopped and flopped his arms to his sides.

"Well, shit Danielle. I've been sittin' here for ten minutes and ya won't even look at me." He gestured with frustration, running his hands through his hair when he was finished. Danny looked down at her legs again and felt the tears once again.

"I just need to…" She trailed off. "I feel…" Her body ached from an invisible pain and her mind hadn't caught up to the source. She closed her eyes and remembered Joey in the parking lot, alone, surrounded. Then arms around her body, pinching her breasts and panting into her ear. Finally her mind gave into the panic, the adrenaline, and she flew from the couch, running to the bathroom as she cried.

Stumbling over the clothes spotted around their bedroom, she sank to her knees in front of the toilet, sobbing hysterically as heaves of terror wracked her abdomen. His arms were around her before she'd even thrown up, holding her ponytail and kissing her shoulder. Her nails stabbed at the porcelain as she clung to it, convulsing.

He would have killed him. She'd seen the fury; she'd seen the flat hazel irises. Joey would have murdered that guy, gutted him in the middle of a parking lot if she hadn't been there. She wasn't afraid of him, but afraid of the next time. When she wouldn't be there to stop him, to bring him home, keep him. Allowing the heaves to take her, she slumped and let her mind go.

* * *

><p>Joey put his face into her neck, wincing as he listened to her gag. Regardless of how the sounds made him nauseous, he didn't leave. She needed him. After several heaves, her body went limp and he caught the weight, pulling her away.<p>

"Danny?" She whimpered and he flushed the toilet, standing and lifting her into his arms. Putting his arms under her knees and back, he carried her out of the bathroom to their bed. He settled back against the headboard with her in his lap.

"You were going to kill him." She said, burying her face into his shirt. Joey locked his jaw.

"You don't know that." Danny slapped his chest, shoving herself away with a snarl. He fumbled after her as she squirmed from his lap. "Danny—"

"You're lying!" She shrieked. He bit down and his chest rumbled with a suppressed yell. "Do you know how fuckin'—" Danny broke again, her face crunching into a sob as she relived the scene again. Joey softened, taking her arms and pulling her back into his lap as she cried. He just held her head and listened. _See Joey? This is what you do to her._ He thought, swallowing a sting of self-hatred.

"I don't back away from an insult." He whispered. "And I never will. That's who I am and I'll always be that way." Danny coughed a few more cries into his, now damp, shirt. Then she shuddered, taking long breaths to try and speak. He rubbed her back, waiting patiently as she fought the sobs.

"I was so scared." She whispered. Joey squeezed her shoulders.

"It's alright. We're fine." Danny took a fist full of his t-shirt into a hand, folding into his body further.

"There were three and he grabbed me…" Joey tensed, remembering the brief moment the punk had his hands on Danielle. "…I shouldn't have screamed. They wanted me to scream." He shook his head and stroked her hair.

"Danny, everything's fine. It's not your fault." She could never tell him what the punk had said to her in those brief moments. He'd find him and rip his throat out; she was sure of that now. Danny remembered the guy's breath on her neck, hissing disgusting things. With a shiver, she focused on her breathing, taking slow draws and letting them out slowly. Joey rested his chin on her head, surrounding her like a blanket, his legs wrapped beneath her knees.

"I don't want you killing anyone for me." Danny whispered suddenly. He closed his eyes, fighting the urge to yell. Arguing quietly wasn't something he was accustomed to.

"I aint promising anything, Danny." She palmed his chest, calming as she felt his heart through the fabric.

"Because you're going to." She whispered. He bit down. That wasn't up for debate.

"Yeah." He said quietly. Danny looked up at him and he was instantly back to the first night they met, explaining to a rich girl why he had to steal her car, why his brother would be proud.

"Do you want to?" She whispered. Joey swallowed. The answer wasn't something she'd like but he told her the truth. He'd promised her that.

"Yeah." He pulled her closer as he said it. Killing wasn't hard for him to comprehend. He'd been destined since childhood to commit at least one murder; the night he'd be initiated by his brother. "I want to be with Billy on the streets, to have that respect and power." Danny was silent and Joey remembered her words. "Remember? I'm a proud ass." She exhaled in a light sigh.

"You'll be in charge." He squeezed her again, thinking about the day when Billy would put Bones in the ground and take over the shop, leaving Joey to run the streets. The feeling of pride was intoxicating. The Darleys would be the best again, no longer held down by the fat fuck and his lack of action.

"Yeah." Danny put an arm around his neck, wedging her head into the space between his jaw and his shoulder.

"So where would that leave me?" She asked timidly. He let out a small snort.

"Where ever you like." He pulled away and kissed her forehead. "I'll give you anything you want." Her eyes shone with new tears.

"I just want you." She whispered. Joey gave her a crooked grin.

"Done."

* * *

><p>Thankfully, the events of the evening had left all doubts behind them. The two gangs were utterly connected to each other now, both pursuing the elusive threat in their city. So when Billy pulled Helen to the side as they walked outside, no one reacted above a glance.<p>

"What are we doin' then?" He asked in a deep whisper. Bodie and Baggy waited by the Mustang, eyeing the grey Hemi-Cuda, Helen's favorite car. Kade and Sid returned their looks, but overall, the four men were calm.

"We poke holes in their army until they come to us." Helen said with a shrug. "They can't have the entire city workin' for 'em." Billy rolled his eyes.

"So you're gonna start a war with a ghost?" He growled, leaning in closer to her face. She pointed a finger at his chest.

"What'd you like me to do? Let 'em snatch my girls again?" Billy's brow fell.

"Again?" He muttered, his voice rumbling in his chest. "You never told me they were takin' your girls." Helen shifted her weight and Sid did the same, endlessly protective, even from meters away.

"Some fuck grabbed a girl, 'bout three months ago. Tried to get her to tell 'im shit." She took a drag and looked away, glancing back at Sid. "He killed her real slow so I'm guessin' she kept her mouth shut." Her hand came up to her face and she pinched the bridge of her nose, cigarette dangling in front of her forehead. "She was one of my best, first girl I got." Billy exhaled, respecting the genuine regret in her voice.

"That's why you got cut up." Helen's glare was dark and she jutted her fingers in his face.

"Watch it. It was **one** lucky shot, nothin' else." She hissed. Billy scoffed through his nose and leaned in closer.

"You went after a hired assassin and got yourself stuck, Hell." Sid stood off the car, uneasy from their body language. It was obvious the conversation was going to a tense place. Helen held her palm out at him by her hip, telling him to keep away. He growled to himself and Kade grinned at his brother. Forever the obedient dog. Helen tapped Billy's shoulder with a finger.

"I was protecting my girls. What would you have done?" Billy locked his jaw and Helen smirked. "You stuck some punk coke dealer when you were, what, fifteen? Just cuz he beat up your little brother." His anger escalated, remembering the bruises on little Joey's body.

"That fucker beat the shit out of him bec—" Helen only raised an eyebrow, taking a drag. Billy snorted and rubbed his nose with the back of his hand. "Fine." She exhaled and this time he poked her shoulder with a finger. "But we aint waitin' for them to come to us." Helen frowned.

"So what do you propose we do, Darley?" He sniffed and gritted his teeth. The answer was obvious, but he still didn't like it.

"I'll fuckin' talk to 'im." Helen shifted and crossed her arms, flicking ash from her cigarette over her elbow.

"Bones?" Billy growled to himself at the name.

"Yeah." He muttered, pissed it had come to this. As much as he didn't want to admit it, Bones knew lots of people and those Russians had to be buying from someone. Guns and cars don't grow on trees. Helen nodded watching his face twitch with disgust.

"Should I tag along?" She asked, grinning. "Give your old man a little hell?" Billy let a smirk lift the corners of his mouth. Her teasing did the trick, saving his mood from drifting into the dark. He leaned into her ear.

"You can't handle anymore Darley." He growled. Then he backed away, a smile dancing on his lips. Helen raised an eyebrow and uncrossed her arms, taking a drag.

"Wouldn't be so sure if I were you." She called, stepped toward her own car. Billy let a purr vibrate in his ribs as he opened his door.

* * *

><p>After she'd showered, Danny had curled up into a ball in Joey's lap on the couch, drifting into a light sleep while he watched various garbage on television. He wasn't really watching; he was replaying the afternoon in his head: the fight, the conversation afterwards, the tears, the fear. Joey ran a hand over her arm and she nuzzled closer to his neck. One day he'd be someone different. He'd have to make the tough calls and he'd have to spill blood to get there. And no one would disrespect him. He looked down at her peaceful face.<p>

He would kill for her.

With a gentle brush of his lips, he kissed her cheek. Her eyes opened and she looked at him. He leaned in and kissed her lips and she pressed into him, responding warmly. Killing for this was a no brainer. Danny put her hands on either side of his face and he read her eyes as if she'd spoken aloud. Joey shifted on the couch, lifting her hips as she straddled him. He never looked away from her eyes as she kissed him again. They were apologizing, praying, wishing, and celebrating in silence. Each sweet kiss was slow and light, speaking volumes more than any further discussion ever could.

Joey's hands were under her nightshirt, resting in the curves of her sides. He made no move to undress her but Danny took the bottom of the shirt and pulled it off slowly. With soft lips, Joey trailed his mouth from one shoulder to the other, inching up her neck to her kiss and back down. Then he lifted his own shirt over his head, discarding it and using his hands to cup Danny's face. She ran her fingers through his hair and they met again, kissing softly as Joey pulled her into his chest. His arms encased her back, reaching up to hold the base of her skull while the other wrapped clear around to her hip. Moments passed of tranquil kisses.

It wasn't a fast movement, but hands found their way to Joey's zipper and he slipped Danny's panties down her hips; she tilted, removing them from her legs. There wasn't any rushing or impatience. They just kept their lips joined, looking at each other with endless passion. _This is why love is scary._ Joey thought. It had stripped him bare, exposing him to pain and torment in order to feel this way, to care. Without her, he'd feel nothing. Danny was a trigger in his brain; he'd charge into a guaranteed slaughter if it meant saving her. He'd kill a dozen punks for touching her.

With a gentle hand, she freed him from his boxers. His breath deepened and he hugged her closer, molding her body to his chest. Then she lowered onto his shaft, closing her eyes and wrapping her arms around his head.

Danny and Joey had made love plenty of times. But this was the first time it had been bare, quiet, and new. Their limits had been tested and cages had been rattled, but they'd held firm, resolute in their commitment to each other. They'd conquered the expectations of society; the expectations of Billy, Greg, and everyone.

They were irrevocably bound.

And separation would destroy them.

* * *

><p><strong>Love to my faithfuls. I wouldn't still be writing without you.<strong>


	7. Chapter 7

**Some Helen and Sid time. I reference "Three Grand and a Million Years" and "Jacked" a little, so if you haven't read them, it'll be confusing…Hope you enjoy. =) **

* * *

><p><em>She didn't stand out, exactly, but she wasn't a regular. Sid knew everyone around here and this girl was a stranger. When she sauntered into O'Connor's bar that afternoon, he'd caught onto her immediately. This was his family's bar, it was his business to be concerned. <em>

_She looked no older than eighteen but she held herself like she'd lived a long time. Each step she took was solid and she kept her shoulders square. It was hard to look away. Her long blonde hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail and it had long, deep roots that sparkled honey brown. It gave her an edge. A sharp edge. _

"_Hey chickypoo, you're awful young for this place. You lost?" Mickey, a regular for years, leaned from his seat, flashing a toothy grin. He was about forty, dirty, and grabby. Sid had thrown him out for groping girls before and he groaned when he heard Mickey start in on the mysterious blonde. To his surprise, she just blinked, like she was calculating. Then her face broke out in a smile. It sent shivers down Sid's spine; he was looking at a predator, toying with its prey before it devoured it whole. _

"_You a tour guide?" She purred, crossing her slim legs. Sid noticed her figure; there was barely an once of fat on her body. The muscles in her arms were almost too pronounced as she leaned forward against the bar. Mickey didn't seem to notice, he'd fallen into her brown eyes, grinning like a maniac. _

"_I'm anything you want me to be, baby doll." He replied, giving her chest a once over without shame. It wasn't anything to scoff at. The girl was tempting, for sure. But her shoulders were narrow, bony even. _

"_You know a Sid O'Connor?" She asked, purring seductively with a deep bass. Sid raised his eyebrows. She was asking about him? That was interesting. But he didn't interrupt, curious to see what Mickey would say, or what she wanted. _

"_Maybe." Mickey said, playing hard to get. Sid smirked. He was going to milk the information for all it was worth. She didn't back down, snaking her legs between his knees to rub against his inner thigh with an ankle. _

"_What? You want me to suck your cock?" Sid almost choked on a swig of beer. That was definitely not something he was expecting. Mickey was stunned, staring like his brain had all but stopped. She just grinned, scooting further on her stool and her hand coming to rest on his upper thigh. "Would you like that?" Mickey swallowed, eyeing her parted lips. Even Sid was slightly riled by the idea. This girl was forward. "Or how about this?" She hissed in a low whisper. "I cut off your cock unless you tell me where I can find Sid O'Connor." Her wrist flicked while she spoke, a blade appearing in her palm. She pressed it into Mickey's crotch and the man took a sharp inhale, shifting back in his stool to try and escape. The girl grabbed his balls with her other hand, holding him in place._

"_You found 'im." Sid finally said, smirking slightly at the helpless look on Mickey's face. The girl faced him and scanned his face. Then, after a moment of silent debate, she retracted from Mickey, sliding off her stool as she replaced the blade in a front jean pocket. With a small pat on his bulge, she winked at him. _

"_Thanks for your help big guy." She murmured. The man looked like he was about to wet himself. She strode through the room and sat down in the booth. Her face was a story in itself. She was pale, but the freckles across her cheeks said she'd grown up in the sun. Her eyes were dark and the sockets were dulled, like she hadn't slept in years. Then her lips. They were a light pink, zapped of any youthful glow she should have possessed. This girl had lived a rough life, and recently. _

"_What do ya want with me?" He grunted, studying her thoroughly. The gun in the small of his back kept him comfortable enough to be blunt. She smiled and this time he saw genuine pleasure. _

"_I heard you were one of the best." His body went rigid and he shifted in his seat. _

"_I don't know what you're talking about." He murmured, suddenly on the defensive. His reputation wasn't something he broadcasted. The feds didn't take robbing banks lightly._

"_I want the best. So I want you." She said solidly. Sid clenched his jaw and looked her over. _

"_For what?" He asked carefully, avoiding any admission of guilt. He'd been raised with criminals; he knew the rules. _

"_I'm putting together some jobs. You know Stokely?" Sid nodded slowly. Letting her do the talking. "There's an increased demand for certain product. Product that needs…" She leaned forward and shrugged with a small smile. "…obtaining." He looked her over again. This was just a girl compared to him. He was almost twenty-five. With a last glance at her face, he stood from the booth. _

"_Not interested." She stood also and blocked him from exiting the booth. _

"_My name's Helen Gates." The name rang a bell but Sid couldn't place it. When he didn't respond, she rolled her eyes. "I go by Hell…" His brow lifted as he remembered the stories. The girl from Stokely, ripping her way through three men in an alley a week out of juvie. She cocked an eyebrow at his expression. "So you gonna hear me out?" Sid looked at the beer sitting on the table and back at Helen's face. She was hard, determined, and unafraid. He didn't know what it was, but something in her face told him that he should listen to her, that her words weren't hollow. With a small exhale, he lifted his eyes to the bartender. _

"_Gary, can I get another?" _

* * *

><p>"<em>Fuck I hate that picture." Helen tisked, blowing smoke out of her mouth angrily as she stared at the television. Sid snorted and looked at the screen. Her mug shot stared back, a snarl on her lips. Her blonde hair was wild, tangled around her face from an obvious struggle. The bruise on her left brow bone was a faint purple, the blow already darkening before the police processing had been over. A little blood was on her lip, dried from where the skin had split from impact. He could almost hear her snarling, the fury in her brown eyes drawing him back to her irises over and over. <em>

"_You look pissed." He said, taking the beer in his hand and bringing it to his lips. Helen shrugged. _

"_Pigs did a number. I wasn't exactly happy about it." Sid nodded. He'd heard the story once when she'd been in a sharing mood. The night of her arrest, Helen was tackled in the living room of her foster father's house, just before she could open his gut open on the carpet. She was furious: screaming, biting, kicking, and punching until they'd roughed her into submission. To them, she was a crazy rat who deserved nothing better. By the time they'd gotten her in front of the camera at the precinct, she'd been handled by three policeman, each trying to tame her with slaps and hair pulling. It had only solidified her rage, made her into what she was today. _

"_I'd like to see how they'd fair now." He said quietly, looking over at her while she took another drag. Helen had filled in well over the past eight months, her arms and torso strong and fleshed out to a healthy size. Her skin had improved, glowing from the sunshine and success they'd enjoyed. Finally, her hair was a thick auburn, the brown of her eyes popping against the warm color. Helen smiled back at him and winked. _

"_They'd be toast." She exhaled, looking at the screen. The media was asking for information about Helen; the police wanted her for questioning in a disappearance. Sid snorted. He'd buried the guy himself in an old warehouse off the highway. _

"_You sure we're good?" He asked. Just before they'd left the burial, a blond man had appeared down the street. Sid had worried. How much had he seen? Would he rat them out? Or worse, would he go into that warehouse and dig up their fresh kill?_

"_Leave it alone, Sid. We're good." He nodded. She'd never been wrong before. After all, it was her mug on the screen. If she wasn't worried, neither was he. _

* * *

><p>"<em>Shit. Fuck. Sid, jesus. Fuckin' CHRIST!" Helen was sweating profusely, clinging to his shoulders as he hauled her down the street. His hands were slicked with her blood and he was shaking from carrying her five blocks. He was strong, but Helen was dead weight and spasming from pain. Much longer and he'd collapse. <em>

"_Hold on, Hell." He grunted, spying the Caprice down the street. They were almost there. His legs gave a burst of strength at the sight and he lurched forward, charging for the car. She was digging her nails into his back, her eyes closed from agony as her swearing was reduced to angry hisses through her teeth. Helen was horrible at this. Physical weakness pissed her off, even the smallest headache made her livid. She refused to take pain medication or receive medical attention. It was stupid pride but Sid, for some reason, admired her for it. But that pride was misplaced now. If they didn't get her help soon, she'd die._

_The idea of Helen's death made Sid break out in a sweat. She was his best friend and his partner; going alone would be unimaginable. As he set her gently in the backseat of the car, he eyed the knife still jutting from her leg. It was deeply embedded, to the hilt. He hissed a breath out of his nose and slammed the door closed, running around to the driver's side. If she died, he'd never forgive himself. _

* * *

><p><em>When they were kids, Kade had fallen off the roof of their family's second story home. He'd been unconscious for three hours before he finally awoke, afraid but stable, at the hospital. Even on that day, Sid had felt hope. As he stared down at Helen's limp body, he felt nothing. She'd thrashed in his arms for almost ten minutes before the life had drained from her. He couldn't breathe. Doc worked with hurried movements on her leg while Sid stood near her head. According to the old man, she still lived. But her face was pale and still. The most peaceful he'd ever seen it. It was terrifying. He couldn't look anymore. <em>

_Storming from the car wash, he kicked open the side door and burst into the cool night. His hands were covered in her. The blood had dried and encased his hands like masks, crinkling as he moved the skin. Staring at the sky, he prodded his back pocket for a cigarette. As he lit it, he thought about the traffickers, the crew, the girls, and the drugs. If Helen died, he would all fall to him and Kade would be his right. It disgusted him that he was considering the future without her, but it had to be done. Then he thought about Darley. The two gangs had always rested on an unspoken truce between Helen and Billy. But that wouldn't hold. Not for long. Sid despised Billy for making a fool out of him and he would rather kiss a corpse than stoop to making a deal for peace._

_Everything was going to fall to pieces without her. There would be war. _

"_SID!" He bolted back into the building when Doc's scream penetrated the quiet air. _

* * *

><p>He'd never left her side since the day she woke up. Her eyes had fluttered open two days after he'd brought her to Doc, and she pleaded deliriously for Sid. She'd called for him by name. And he would never leave.<p>

After they'd cleaned up the two Russians, he'd brought her back to her apartment and took up his spot on the sofa, watching crime shows into the early morning. Helen bitched about the arrangement constantly, telling him to get lost and trying to throw him out. But after two weeks of unsuccessful attempts at sending him away, she'd silently submitted and relinquished a pillow.

"SHIT!" The yell broke him away from his thoughts and Sid jumped from the sofa, running to Helen's room. He busted through her bedroom door and Helen looked up at him, red-faced and seething with fury.

"GET THE FUCK OUT!" She screamed. He didn't move away. Helen was sitting up in her bed, in a t-shirt and shorts, her left leg bent at the knee while the right sat motionless. His heart stopped in his chest. Complications. Sid took a step in the door and she screamed at him again, tears starting to well up in her eyes. "GET OUT!" Her protest was cracked, but he obeyed. She was horrified and he cared about her too much to wound her pride further. Behind the closed door, he could still hear her breathing heavily. The sound of a slap made him wince and Helen growled angrily. "No. Fuck no. No. NO!" Another slap met his ears and then another. He sunk to the floor, listening to her hit the leg in protest.

Doc had said this day might come. And now Sid had no idea what they were going to do.

* * *

><p>Billy rolled over again. This time the clock said 5:00. He groaned and rolled back over, glaring at the window. He didn't want to go see Bones. He hated him. Going to drop off earnings once a week was enough. Asking for information? That was like handing the man ammunition. He'd do everything in his power to make Billy mad. Then he'd be forced to stand there and dig his fingernails into his palms, holding back the rage building up inside. Not his idea of a good morning.<p>

Slamming his fist in his sheets, Billy gave up and rose from the bed, grabbing his pack of cigarettes from the nightstand. He lit one with a deep inhale, hissing the smoke from his lungs with tight lips. He hunched his back, leaning over his knees as he tried to relax. The black tattoo on his skin grooved over the muscles like vines, snaking down his arms, across his shoulders and spine. His vertebrae cast small shadows, fading into nothing as they lowered down his back and reached the small divot at the base of his pelvis. He was a perfect inverted triangle, wide shoulders and narrow waist.

The front door opened and Billy whipped his head around to face his bedroom door.

"Joe?" A few footsteps later, the knob turned and his brother's head appeared, eyes drooping from exhaustion.

"Yeah." The boy grunted. Billy raised an eyebrow.

"What are you doin' here this early?" He asked, taking a drag and standing. Joey blinked for a second.

"Bodie called." Billy sniffed and just nodded. Bodie was his best friend and he knew exactly what he needed. Seeing Bones always put him on edge and this time, the circumstances could create disaster. Joey was the perfect solution. His little brother's presence put him at ease.

"I've gotta sleep." Joey mumbled. "Fuckin' tired as fuck." He muttered, wandering down the hall towards his room. Billy just snorted and listened to the bed whine on the other side of the wall as Joey sunk into it. He sat down, looking out the window, and breathed in rhythm with the snores that eventually started through the wall. For a moment, he closed his eyes. The night was still; the apartment was calm. Billy put his cigarette out and laid back down, falling into a deep sleep before the butt was cold.

* * *

><p><strong>Love to my faithful!<strong>


	8. Chapter 8

**Kinda short. I apologize. The plot fairies have not been kind recently. Hope you enjoy. =)**

* * *

><p>His snores were soft yet uneasy. She moved fast, praying he wouldn't be alerted by her movements. When she got to the door, she cast a small smile back at the sleeping man. Her best friend.<p>

Stinging air and grey light met her outside. She pulled the string tight on her hoodie, bringing it close to her face. Then she ran. She ran until she couldn't breathe. She ran until every muscle in her body was screaming in agony. She ran until there were tears in her eyes from the bitter morning breeze. She ran until there wasn't strength left in her limbs to continue. She ran.

Then Helen fell to her knees.

And watched the sun come over the trees.

* * *

><p>"I'm fuckin' goin' in. He's my dad too ya know." Joey growled, slouching further in his seat. Billy flinched at the term 'dad'. That was the last thing he considered Bones to be, a parent.<p>

"Joey, I gotta talk business. You aint goin' inside." His tone was edgy, product of only three hours of sleep and not enough cigarettes in his system. Some people woke up with coffee; Billy woke up with a smoke. But mornings like these required several. He'd barely been awake an hour before he'd shuffled out the door, little brother trailing behind. Joey lifted his lip into a snarl.

"Bill, I'm fuckin' family. I can know shit!" His volume rubbed Billy the wrong way.

"YOU AINT A GANG MEMBER YET." He bellowed, filling the Mustang with his gravelly bass. Joey bit down on his jaw.

"Cuz you won't initiate me." He retorted under his breath, glaring out the window. Billy huffed and rubbed his nose.

"Cuz you aint ready." He grumbled. Joey snarled at his brother.

"Why the fuck not?" They pulled into the shop lot and Billy killed the engine.

"That's my decision." Billy growled, standing from his side of the car. Joey followed suit and his brother gave him a deadly warning with his eyes. "And ya better respect it." Then he strut towards the bustling garage. When he was far enough from the car, he muttered under his breath. "Consider it a gift, kid."

Billy didn't have a solid reason why he wouldn't bring his brother into the gang. He wanted him around and wanted to have him involved, but the idea of Joey taking his place and Billy taking Bones'… Closing his eyes, he had to shake the thought away. The truth was Joey wouldn't ever be like him. Joey had always straggling behind the shadow of his older brother. And as the boys had aged, it hadn't changed. Billy would always be the strongest.

Joey was also young. Unlike Billy, he'd been given the chance to live his youth with immaturity and impulse. After sticking a coke dealer at fifteen, Billy had started life early; he'd made his bones before he'd finished puberty. Since then, Billy had been fifteen going on forty. Joey was still…young. So he'd sold himself a cliché: Joey wasn't ready. Billy didn't know if ever would be. He had to keep telling himself it would happen. Someday.

The shop was busy from the start of the week. Men walked around inside, sweating from the lack of air conditioning and the hot morning sun. Billy straightened his shoulders, repopping his collar around his throat regardless of the heat. His reputation was important here because it would be his garage. Someday. Several workers nodded in his direction, respectful of his presence. Billy returned each gesture and continued into the back, wrinkling his nose when he smelt his father.

Bones had always stunk of sweat and grease. It was a revolting scent and it drove Billy crazy. The fat man would rot away in his own filth if it paid well enough. Lighting a cigarette, Billy attempted to block out the odor with the smoke, taking a deep inhale as he came to rest in front of Bones' desk.

"It aint delivery day." The voice was deep and almost slurred. Billy didn't turn his head to face Bones, waiting for his father to sit in the chair. He'd thought about this conversation all night yet he was strangely calm.

"I need ta talk." Billy grunted in response, letting his accent droop to match his old man's. A small snort followed and Bones appeared from the side of the room, rubbing his glasses with his grimy shirt.

"The fuck ya do now?" He growled, putting the spectacles on his face. Billy rolled his shoulders slightly, just enough to relax. This was all about presentation. If he was too aggressive, Bones wouldn't tell him anything. Humiliating as it was, Billy needed to be quiet and respectful to get what he wanted.

"We got a problem." Billy started. Bones snorted in disgust and sat in his chair. "We got fuckin' slavers in town." A long pause filled the room. Billy wiped his nose, opening a palm in the air and gesturing when he continued. "Russians, movin' girls through Stokely. They got guns and cars from someone."

"And ya think I know where to find 'em." Bones grunted, smirking as he processed. His boy was asking for something and he would definitely take advantage of the leverage. "Let me ask ya, son…" Bones stood and leaned over the desk between them, grinning wider. "That Hall bitch a good fuck?" Billy swallowed and felt his stomach drop. Of course he'd know. Bones had ears everywhere. It was a necessity; guns were a tricky trade. He didn't answer but just flexed his jaw, praying his father was only fishing for a reaction. Snorting again, Bones hovered over the desk.

"Ya gettin' in bed with those Hall idiots? Gonna fix some cunt's problems so ya can wet ya dick?" Billy's fury throbbed in his throat.

"The Russians are Stokely's problem." He managed to hiss out, fighting the urge to scream. Bones smiled and Billy's knuckles went white as he clenched his fists. The two Darley men just stared, measuring the hate between them.

"They'll play nice. I saw ta that." Bones finally said with a shrug. Then he sat, picking up a gun and a rag. Billy's eyes widened and he unintentionally slacked his jaw.

"You sold ta them?" He asked without thinking. The mess ahead of him was growing by the second. Having a deal with the Russians would clutter Billy's eventual coup. The gang would be safe on the streets, fine. But letting traffickers take out the Hall and hustle girls through the city would be a terrible idea. Billy needed the Hall to keep competition at bay and Stokely was his; no one fucked with that.

"Do ya forget why we do this?" Bones growled, looking over his glasses casually as he stroked the cloth over the muzzle of the gun. "Ta make money. I sell guns ta make cash. Ya idiots cook shit ta sell on my corner ta make cash. Is that confusin?" Billy hissed exhales from his nose. His father was a businessman. He cared about the money before the territory. That would be his undoing.

He didn't answer, yet again.

"Ya fuck that up, Billy boy, and ya won't live ta beg for mercy." Bones grunted. "Don't touch the Russians. Let that Hall bitch deal on her own." He shook his head, picking up another gun to polish aimlessly. Billy turned on his heel and started from the office. "They can fuckin' gut her for all I care." Bones mumbled. Billy's rage boiled over and he forced himself from the shop at a brisk pace. When he was outdoors and free from the stench of his father, he threw his cigarette, charging for the Mustang with tight fists and a snarl on his lips.

* * *

><p>Danny woke up and didn't need to open her eyes to know he was gone. Joey was something she just felt. With a small sigh she looked up at the ceiling, flat on her back. They'd hardly spoken the previous night, but he'd said plenty with his body. Every inch of her skin rang with his touch. Kissing, caressing, sucking, licking, hugging. If she could trap him in that moment, she'd die of happiness. Sitting up, she looked at the messy sheets around her. Joey Darley wasn't a memory she could trap and preserve. He was going to move on, with or without her. She stood from the bed and strut across the room in nothing but her skin.<p>

She was going to keep up. No matter what it took.

* * *

><p>"What do we do?"<p>

"Medication, injections, I can't tell without—"

"She'll never let you cut her open again."

"That aint gonna fix itself. Not after that knife. She almost di—"

"Just….tell me what to do."

"Get her to let me look."

…..

"I can't treat it without knowin' what I'm dealin' with, Sid."

"She lost it all last night."

…..

…..

"All of it?"

"Yeah. Woke up. Scared her pretty bad."

"This was the first?"

"It's bothered her before. But not like that."

….

"She was punchin' it, Doc."

"Jesus."

"What do I do?"

"I'll come over."

"What if—"

"If she don't let me look…it might not be in bed the next time."

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><p><strong>~long live the Darleys~<strong>

**Leave me love, you silent folk. I would like to hear from you. =)  
>As for my faithfuls, I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH! =D<strong>


	9. Chapter 9

**FINALLY. SOMETHING SUBSTAINTAL! The block has lifted….for now. I'm not gonna push my luck and claim I'm cured. But I have a chapter...that's all that matters. I hope you enjoy. =)**

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><p>"It's just an injection of cortic—" Doc tried to assure her, but Helen waved his words away, glaring at the needle in his hand.<p>

"Just fuckin' do it before I change my mind." Sid stood in the doorway to her room, watching as the older man loomed over her on the bed. Her jeans were pulled down to the knees, exposing her right hip and scar. Doc lowered his gloved hand towards her thigh and Helen stared at the ceiling.

"This is gonna burn." He whispered, piercing the leg. She grit her teeth and nodded. Doc pressed on the syringe and she cringed, closing her eyes. "But it should help. You might need more—" As soon as the needle was clear, Helen cut him off.

"Don't push it, Doc." Sid stood off the wall as she slowly rose from the bed, pulling her pants up her legs. Doc nodded and packed his small bag, exiting the room. Sid stopped him and leaned in to whisper.

"I'll call if she needs another. Thanks, Doc." He put an envelope in the man's hand and they parted. "You good?" He asked Helen. She took a few steps and nodded.

"I'm fine." Sid's phone buzzed and she plucked it from his hand.

"Yeah?" Helen answered. He rolled his eyes as she put on a show of strength for him. "He's back already?" Then his interest shifted. Neil had shadowed Darley quietly, waiting to call in when he returned from Bones Darley's body shop. He'd only left an hour prior, barely an hour past noon. Helen nodded a few times. "Yeah that's fine. Go to the house and cover a watch. I'll visit Darley later."

* * *

><p>"<em>Do ya forget why we do this?" <em>

He hissed smoke out of his teeth, swallowing his rage.

"_Ta make money." _

Billy flexed his fingers, wishing he could sink them into Bones' face, tear out his eyes, or cave in his skull. The girl below whimpered and he quickly eased the hold on her head. Unfortunately, clamping down on her scalp wouldn't solve his problems. He didn't want her biting off his dick in surprise. Trying to relax, he took another drag off the cigarette in hand, looking down the alley towards the street. It was quiet and warm outside yet cooler than it had been all season.

Bones had really pissed him off. Not only had the conversation gone completely sideways, but he'd learned nothing. The Russians were still illusive and now Billy had to worry about Bones' threat. But he wasn't going to lie down. It was a mistake to deal with the Russians. They wouldn't need a local gun dealer for long and Bones was a fool for thinking their understanding would last.

"Cute." He hadn't even heard her footsteps but he grinned at her voice. The whore kneeling in front of him pulled her head away, looking up with a frown at the approaching intruder.

"Fuck off, bitch." She hissed. Billy snorted and shoved, pushing the stupid girl onto her ass. The shadowy silhouette laughed and stepped closer.

"Be careful." Helen purred, crossing her arms with a smirk. Billy zipped up and stood off the wall, then looked down at the brunette struggling to get to her feet.

"Get lost." He growled. "She bites." With a pout, the girl rose and rubbed her butt, walking toward the back alley door. When she'd managed to get inside, Billy took a drag and faced Helen.

"You interruptin' for a reason?" He muttered, exhaling with a hiss. She rolled her eyes and strolled to the wall across from him, digging in her jacket for a cigarette. While she lit one, Billy looked her up and down. As always, Helen was dressed in jeans and boots, but her shirt was looser than usual, hiding her curves beneath layers of fabric and leather. And for the first time, she looked tired. Exhausted actually.

"You see Bones?" She asked, taking a drag and blowing it out slowly. With a scowl, he sucked on his smoke.

"Yeah." He said eventually, hissing a long exhale into the air. Helen motioned with a hand.

"And?" Billy ground his back teeth and stepped closer to her. This conversation was more exposed than he liked. He'd been reminded of how much Bones could find out. With a raised eyebrow, Helen leaned into him.

"He's the one who sold to 'em." Billy growled, lowering his voice in both register and volume. She hissed in response and slumped back against the brick.

"Fuck." Both fumed for a moment and Billy advanced again, this time pressing a palm against the rough wall to lean over her. Helen crossed her arms, glaring past him in contemplation.

"And he knows about us." He added. That brought her back. She shot up to her full height, snarling at him.

"Fuck you mean, us?" Billy took a quick drag and flicked the butt away.

"My guys and the Hall." But they both knew that wasn't what he meant. "Bones told me to let you hang." He muttered. Helen gave a disgusted laugh.

"What a peach." Taking another drag, she walked away, staring at nothing. Billy put his hands on his hips, watching her think. The moon was bright, casting their shadows on the dark ground like an eerie blue sun. Sirens wailed endlessly in the distance. A few seconds passed and Billy spoke.

"We gotta get rid of 'em, Hell." She turned slowly.

"We? Didn't you just get done sayin'—" In a quick stride he was standing in front of her, looming in to speak privately.

"That fat fuck can say what he likes, I aint lettin' some foreign assholes take my turf." She studied his eyes, silently absorbing. "You and I both know, they aint leavin' us alone." He breathed deeply, expanding his broad shoulders and chest. With a small sigh, Helen clicked her tongue.

"Jesus." She looked up at him, flicking ash. "When did shit get so fucked up, Darley?" Billy let a small grin flash over his lips.

"Since you died, Hell." She snorted and shook her head.

"Yeah." Then her face went dark, shadows forming under her eyes. Their lives were changing; danger was growing. Billy shifted.

"Where's your dog, Scud?" He asked, eyeing the end of the alley. Helen snorted.

"Sid. Car." She grinned at him weakly. Plucking another cigarette out of his back pocket, Billy lit up, sighing out the smoke.

"We gotta meet. Make a plan." With a nod, she looked away.

"Who's we?" She said with a tiny tease.

"Just me and you." Billy swallowed, fighting the warmth the words spread to his stomach. "Somewhere that aint an alley." Raising an eyebrow, Helen nodded again.

"You're the one bringin' winners back here, not me." Her mouth hinted at a pout but her eyes danced. Jealousy wasn't in her repertoire. But, for some sick reason, Billy wished it was.

"Two hours." He purred, leaning into her. She smelled like soap, clean and crisp. As she left, Helen's boots crunched lightly on the rocky asphalt.

"It's a date, Darley." She whispered, retreating with a small smile.

* * *

><p>When he unlocked the apartment door, he stepped inside slowly. He'd left in the middle of the night after making love to Danny for hours. But had the questions been answered? Were the problems solved? As he walked into the living room, Joey didn't know what to expect. It was dark in the small apartment except for one lamp that stood in the corner by the television. The rest of the room was shadowed and Danny was curled upright on the couch, cradling her knees to her chest.<p>

"Hey." He said softly, wondering if she'd fallen asleep waiting up for him. She tilted her head and gave a little smile over the sofa.

"Hi." Coming closer, he circled and sat, pulling her into his lap.

"What's my girl up to?" He purred, kissing her lips quickly. Danny smiled a little bigger and touched his chin, prompting a second, longer kiss.

"I got a job." She said softly. Joey squeezed her closer.

"Never doubted ya." He whispered. "Where?"

"Johnny's Pawn." Danny replied, looking at his mouth to avoid his eyes. Joey groaned.

"Christ, Danielle." She stroked his jaw with a finger, ignoring his furrowed brow. Grabbing her hand, he stopped her petting. "That's two blocks away from the Four Roses. You know Billy aint gonna like that." Rolling her eyes, Danny tilted in his grip, defiant to a fault.

"I don't care what Billy likes. I needed the job." Joey sighed and clenched his jaw.

"It's on the other side of the city." She shrugged.

"So we'll move." He closed his eyes.

"We?" Danny grabbed his chin.

"Yes. We." Opening his eyes, the two locked gazes. "I want to be in your life, all of it." Joey sighed again and rubbed the back of his hand over his nose.

"Shit." He muttered, gripping her chin to look deliberately into her face. "I'm gonna catch hell for this." She rolled her eyes.

"So blame it on me. I'm not afraid of Billy Darley." Danny kissed his lips as he continued to huff. "I can't be afraid anymore." She added. With a sigh, Joey relented and pulled her head into his chest.

"You probably should be." He whispered. In his head, he remembered his day with Billy: the tense drive to Bones', the silent return, and the several hours his brother spent in a staring contest with a wall at the Four Roses. Something bad was happening and his gut was telling him it was getting worse.

* * *

><p>He'd been waiting for ten minutes when the doorknob turned briskly. Billy's hand tightened around the gun on his knee but he knew he'd never fire it. Helen stepped inside the dark motel room quickly, closing the door and cloaking herself in shadow.<p>

"You're late." He muttered, relaxing his grip. Sitting around for a woman wasn't his gig, regardless of the woman.

"Sid was bein' a prick. Had to do a little arguing." Her voice was still quiet, reserved like it had been in the alley. It bugged him.

"Fucker doesn't trust me." Billy stood from the bed, putting his gun in the small of his back. "I don't blame 'im." Helen only snorted. His eyes were adjusted and he watched her lean against the frame of the door, arms crossed in a defensive stance.

"So what's the plan?" She muttered, looking out into the dark room at nothing in particular.

"The hitter that stuck you, where'd you find 'im?" The question was hard to ask. Helen had been very clear that the memory wasn't to be discussed. But now it was all they had left to use to find the Russians.

"Some slum. Mostly Mexican. Why?" Billy shrugged and Helen moved through the room, finding the foot of the bed and sitting down softly. "You think it's connected?" She looked at him for the first time, squinting in an attempt to see his face.

"They could have gone to someone else. Plenty of guns for hire in the city." He said with a shrug. Then the room fell silent as they thought.

When Helen shifted and stood, Billy stepped closer.

"Mexican." She whispered. He frowned and Helen snorted a small laugh. "That's it." Then she whirled, facing him so abruptly he automatically tensed, expecting an attack. "Fuckers bought cars and guns. They already have girls." Her smile grew and she reached out, clapping an open palm on Billy's chest. "Drugs. Gotta get your fix while you're playin' with all your merchandise." His forehead went flat as he caught up.

"Coke." He murmured. Helen nodded, biting a lip.

"They're buyin' from B street. Fuckers are movin' product again." She said, running a hand through her hair. Billy snarled.

"Fuckin' Mexican pricks. Shoulda left heads in the streets, sent a fuckin' message when we cleared 'em out last time." Helen nodded.

"They need a little reminder." He looked at her evil grin and suddenly felt good. Billy let a little laugh escape his lips and she immediately cocked her head. "What's so funny?" He shrugged, sat back on the bed, and lit a cigarette from his back pocket. Exhaling with a grin, Billy shook his head.

"Just thinkin'." He murmured. Helen lowered onto the mattress next to him, propping her elbows on her knees.

"'Bout what?" Billy smiled to himself.

"_You should run with me." He said quietly, flicking ash to the ground. "You're tougher than most of the guys around here." _

_Helen smiled and grabbed him by the collar. Billy's eyes went wide as she yanked him towards her and planted a kiss on his lips. Before he could react, she pushed him away and leapt off the car. _

"_Sorry Darley." She said, laughing. "I don't like you." Billy grinned and watched her strut away. _

"_If you ever change your mind." He called. "You know where to find me." She turned and took a drag. _

"_Not in a million years, Darley."_

"Why didntcha ever change your mind?" He asked, looking over at her face. She was only inches away, studying her hands. "Runnin' with me when you got out." Helen smiled and met his gaze.

"I didn't want to." He frowned slightly, not out of anger but out of confusion. His crew had been strong when she'd left juvie. Money was good and she would have been a great asset. When she saw the look, Helen sighed and turned away, lacing her fingers together. "I was seventeen, pissed, and reckless. The last thing I wanted was to slink back to Stokely." Then she turned her head, locking his eyes with a stare he couldn't escape from. "I didn't want to go soft. Cuz…" Helen laughed and stood up, shaking her head. "Forget it." Billy shot off the bed, exhaling smoke with a hiss.

"No." He grabbed one of her wrists and she tore it away. But her face remained flat and strangely vulnerable. "Why would you have gone soft?" After a long second, she whispered.

"I liked you." He couldn't answer because his mind was blank. It was something he'd always suspected but for her to avoid him for feelings she'd held…it struck him like a slap across the face. "I woulda gotten weak, subservient. And I wanted to call the shots." Helen straightened and grinned. "Plus I wanted to get a little messy." Billy snorted and returned the small smile. Messy indeed. He didn't want to know how many bodies she'd accumulated since she'd started hitting pharmacies with Sid.

"Liked me, huh?" He purred with a smirk. She rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, past tense." She snorted.

"I recall you liking me pretty recently." The mood shifted and Billy closed in on Helen. Momentarily, his problems were fixable and his needs were elsewhere. She stepped away from him, face clouding.

"A mistake I don't plan on repeating." She whispered. The term 'mistake' stung and Billy halted immediately. Defensive anger kicked in and he walled up, growing cold.

"Who said I wanted a repeat?" He turned and stabbed his barely smoked cigarette into an ashtray, pulling his jacket tight around his neck. "I'll sit a couple guys on B street. Call you when we catch something." He grumbled. Then he strode towards the door, fishing for his keys in his pocket.

"Fine." She said after him, watching the door open then close with a slam. Helen sat and ran both hands through her hair, bent over her legs. A few moments passed and she leaned back, looking down at her right thigh.

Helen stood from the bed and pushed her jeans down her hip slowly. The material wasn't kind to the skin and she pursed her lips, looking at the exposed limb. The injection site was a little purple, tender to the touch. Replacing her pants, she shook her head. That bruise was the only thing that had held her back from giving into Billy Darley. Not logic, not ego.

And that scared her.

* * *

><p><strong>*dance* I'm elated just to have finished this.<br>Love to my faithfuls! HUGS to Dreamer2987 for listening to my writer's block woes and whines. ;)**


	10. Chapter 10

**I'm back! Little heavy little light for you. Hope you enjoy. =)**

* * *

><p><em>He was a mean bastard. He'd always been that way. Not a single kind word or gentle touch, just hate and coldness. <em>

_The blade in her hand was similar, sharp and steely. She turned it over and over, watching her reflection stretch and shrink on the small sliver of metal. It was calming, focusing on something so simple. _

"_You fuckin' bitch. Can't do a FUCKIN' THING RIGHT!" Helen winced, listening to his screaming through the walls. Thankfully she wasn't the victim, her foster mother was. It was always a cross to bear; and bear it she did, for Helen's sake. _

_And that made Mrs. Georgia Casner the only person she could trust. _

_Helen pressed the pocketknife into her palm, closing her eyes as she felt the pain bolt into the entire limb. It wasn't punishment or pain she desired, but distraction. Something to take her away from how alone she felt. When the blood started to well up in the shallow cut, she quickly retracted the blade, shaking her head with disbelief. What was she doing? The door to the bathroom opened and Georgia appeared, blinking as she poked her head inside. _

"_Helen?" Fisting her hand and shoving it behind her back, Helen nodded. _

"_Yeah?" The older woman silently entered and closed the door. Her face was worn with sorrow and Helen knew another beating had caused it. Her foster mother's spirit had been broken long before she'd entered the picture. But something in Georgia's eyes sent a crawling shiver down her spine._

"_You showered?" The woman asked softly, barely raising her voice enough to be heard. Helen nodded, standing from the edge of the tub. The knife was clutched in her injured hand, hidden from view. Georgia forced a small smile and reached out with an arm, brushing a few fingers through Helen's brown, wet hair. "You should go to bed." _

"_Ok." The girl replied, matching the volume of her companion. But Georgia didn't move away. She studied Helen's face slowly. When tears formed in the woman's eyes, Helen shuddered. _

"_I always thought of you as my daughter." Barely a whisper, the words forced the tears from Georgia's eyes. "I hope you know that." Helen nodded and fought the urge to cry with her. This woman had given her protection in a rare form: self sacrifice. _

"_I know." She breathed. Then Georgia's face crumpled and she took Helen's head in both hands. _

"_I haven't lead a good life, but I hope I did one thing right with you." It was an intense declaration and Helen held her breath. "Helen, my Helen…" She staggered a sigh through another wave of quiet tears. "I want you to remember two things." The girl nodded and her cheeks became damp against Georgia's palms. "You are worth the same as any man. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise." Helen felt the despair of the woman's words and her chest started to hurt. Georgia clutched Helen's face bringing her closer to meet her eyes. _

"_And fight, Helen. Strike back." She kissed her forehead and suddenly released her, leaving for the door. Before she'd turned the knob, Georgia faced Helen with an ominous blank look. "Strike before you're struck." _

Standing over the sink, Helen took another drag and stared at herself in the dark mirror. Look where one woman's words had gotten her. She was the most powerful woman in Boston. Killing had become a business transaction and her emotions had long faded into the background of her life. With a finger, she flicked the switch under the mirror, illuminating the small bulb above. Her face was tired, scared, broken. In this little motel bathroom, she'd dropped her shield and let the demons of her past rise to the surface. After Billy's departure, she'd stumbled into a swirl of recollection and contemplation.

Suddenly she ripped her shirt over her head, throwing it to the ground with misplaced aggression. Baring her teeth, she panted slightly with anger. All of this was because of one knife, one bad move. And her façade of strength had slowly cracked and given way. A round mark on her left shoulder caught her eye as she stared. Her mind named the injury as Helen ran a thumb over the dark circle. _Cigarette burn._ Her hand moved down her upper arm, touching similar dots that had faded with time. Only in the cheap bathroom light did they stand out on her tan skin. They felt no different from the surface around them, but Helen remembered the oozing burns, the tender flesh. So much. She'd been through so much and gotten by.

"Look at you now." She hissed. Her fingers brushed over the crown of her hair. The raised scar was hidden by her blonde roots but she knew it was there. _Day three inside…_ She exhaled, recalling the blood that had poured from her head when her cellmate had rammed her skull into their bunk. Helen had lived by her foster mother's motto, but it still had left her with a few marks. With a shove, her jeans hit the floor and she opened her palm to run it over the jagged, red scar on her thigh.

"Strike before you're struck." She whispered. The mark was sensitive, but not with pain. It felt deep, like the pads of her fingers were digging into the skin when they were only grazing the surface. If she thought about it, she could still feel the knife in her leg, the cold wash that had consumed the limb. She'd fought tooth and nail, yet had still found herself helpless, slipping away from all her strength. Taking a drag and hissing it out, Helen clutched the sink with both hands. "Goddamn it." Her body shook slightly, a mixture of frustration and exhaustion. Helen stared into the mirror, meeting her own eyes with a frown.

"It was one little cut." She snarled. "Get the fuck over it."

* * *

><p>"Beg." He growled.<p>

"Billy please." The sound of her voice was like a fly in his ear.

"LOUDER." He demanded, stilling his thrusts into the blonde in front of him. Tossing her hair over a shoulder, she looked back at him and posed, letting out a whine.

"BILLY! Please fuck me PLEASE!" Billy snarled and slammed ahead, closing his eyes to concentrate on finishing._ Just with you. _He hadn't imagined those words; she'd said them. But now she was closing him out and it had pissed him off.

"Oh my god, Billy….Billyyyyy!" He bit down hard on his jaw, forcing the release from his body. As soon as the slight ripple of pleasure ebbed, he stepped back, aborting the blonde's orgasm altogether. She ripped her head around. "Wait, are—" He didn't stop to listen, zipping his jeans and grabbing his jacket from a chair. His stride was loud, rocking the floor as he emerged from the back of the bar. Bodie was the only one still there as Sammy locked up.

"Ya good?" Bodie asked, raising an eyebrow at the angry expression on his friend's face.

"Lousy lay." He grunted. Billy walked briskly by and Bodie fell into step with him.

"Bill, what's goin' on?" His voice was concerned. They broke out of the front door into the cold night air. It was so late it was early, the beginnings of the sun's rays lightening the pitch-black sky above. Billy shrugged and started for his car.

"Put Heco with someone, watch B street." Bodie made a face and stopped in the middle of the parking lot.

"Are ya gonna tell me why or am I just gonna stand 'round stupid?" Billy slowed his steps, pausing a few feet from his Mustang. He reached into his pocket while turning around, pulling out a cigarette. As Billy lit it, Bodie crossed his arms, waiting for a response. When he'd had a moment to think, Billy sighed out the smoke and spoke.

"It's just a hunch." Bodie didn't move closer or lower his arms so Billy rolled his eyes, stepping into his friend. "We think they're movin' coke again." Bodie hissed and leaned closer.

"Who the fuck is we?" The answer made Billy's stomach twist, forced him to confront the growing anxiety in his gut. His newest ally had fallen into a precarious part of his emotions.

"Me and Hell. We met earlier." He muttered. "Russians used B street for a hit, probably buyin' blow. Follow the dealer, find the buyer." Billy summarized, forgetting all the relief he'd felt when the plan had first been struck. Bodie finally softened and nodded.

"Heco and Bag. I'll call 'em in the mornin'." Billy met Bodie's eyes and dipped his head briefly, taking another drag and hissing it out.

"It's mornin' now." He murmured. Then he turned and left without another word.

* * *

><p>"Who can make more money in one week? A drug dealer or a hooker?" Heco groaned as Baggy grinned at him, slumped sideways in the passenger seat. "Come on, Heco. Ya love this shit."<p>

"Not when you're screamin' it at me." The man responded, leaning his head back on the seat. His skull was pounding from a hangover and Bodie's phone call had landed him here when he could be nursing a needle.

"You're such a pussy." Baggy snorted, crossing his arms behind his head. They'd been parked on the edge of town for hours, the bright afternoon starting to coax people outside. The lower-end area was dotted with condemned houses and run down complexes, but people still walked around, continuing life with what they had. Heco watched a man come down the sidewalk with a little girl, clutching her hand as she tottered over the uneven cement below her feet. He let a tiny grin spread on his lips and remembered his own childhood. He'd been raised not too far from the very corner he was parked at now. The house was long gone, but his roots remained engraved in his head. Despite his Mexican mother, Heco was born American; and Boston had been his home from day one.

"Ya gonna guess?" Baggy slapped Heco's arm lightly, smiling once again from his lounged position against the window.

"The hooker." Heco finally mumbled, wincing at the volume of his own voice. Baggy nodded and sat forward.

"But why?" He asked as he bobbed his eyebrows.

"How are ya not feelin' it this mornin'?" Heco groaned. Baggy had been tossing shots back like the rest of them, but somehow was still his normal, goofy self. It was irritating.

"I'm magic." Baggy said and spread his fingers out in front of his face, wiggling them. Then he flopped back against the door. "I have a gift man." He snorted and wrinkled his nose at Heco's frustrated glare. "Several."

"Just shut the fuck up and watch." Heco hissed. Crossing his arms on the steering wheel, he leaned forward and rested his chin on his wrists. If he was lucky, nothing would happen and Billy would send them home.

As if fate had been listening, a figure appeared from a doorway down the block. Heco followed the kid with an eye as he strut down the street, holding his pants up with a hand. Baggy noticed the punk too, turning in his seat to watch.

The boy couldn't be much older than sixteen, his face baby smooth beneath a thick, unkempt patch of hair on his upper lip. The hair on his head was long, running to his jaw in straight, jet-black strands. It swayed as he walked, lapping at his cheeks with each stride. Dressed in a white wife beater and huge pants, he looked like B street right off the bat. They were posers, wearing cheap, terribly fitted clothes to match the rappers on CD's. Heco shook his head. Real criminals had money and, therefore, wore the right size.

"He's a fuckin' kid, ya think he's legit?" Baggy muttered. Heco nodded.

"Ya think they had much choice? We left 'em hurtin'." They both let out small laughs and Baggy tapped a knuckle on the window to his right.

"Man. That was a weird summer." Most people spent the warmer months of the year at a pool or beach. The Darley gang had spent it picking off the cocky, young group, putting them properly in their place. The Hall had played along, silently cooperating with the shift in power. Baggy swished in his seat again, facing Heco. "What was it Billy said?" Heco grinned and sat back, recalling the memory with sick entertainment.

"Three's a crowd." Baggy nodded and laughed. The kid had stopped down the block, almost half the distance from their spot at the end of the street. They continued to watch, waiting for some kind of action. They'd taken Baggy's sister's car, hoping to blend in with the run-down junk parked around them. Heco's Duster would have stuck out like a sore thumb. Which is why a clean Honda Civic caught their attention in seconds. It drove slowly down the street, drawing eyes to it like a magnet. It wasn't brand new or flashy, but it was too nice.

"Bingo." Heco whispered, leaning forward to squint through the windshield. They both tensed as they watched the silver vehicle stop in front of the boy. He was leaning against the side of a brick apartment building, chatting with a group of similarly dressed punks. But he was the only one who bore the tat, the large 'B' on his neck. When the Civic stopped, he rose and met it, a blond man's head appearing outside the passenger window.

"Why, Bag?" Heco murmured, smiling to himself at their success. Baggy raised an eyebrow, glancing at his friend.

"What?" The blond man motioned to the boy and a quick exchange was made. To an outsider, it looked like a strange hug, but to another dealer it was just a day at the office.

"Why does the hooker make more?" Heco asked, starting the car when the boy walked away, back down the block the way he came. Baggy grinned.

"She can wash and resell her crack." Heco laughed and shook his head, watching the Civic pull away.

"True."

* * *

><p>Johnny's Pawn was the only pawnshop on the strip, settled between a pizza place and an old barber. The section of the strip had been the same for decades, passing through family hands and maintaining loyal customers. Pappy Callas had inherited the business from his father, who'd taken over for his father, the original Johnny Callas.<p>

Pappy's daughter Athena, Atta for short, was perched on a stool behind the counter when Danny stepped inside for her first shift. The woman had dark, long hair and silky, tanned skin. She smiled pleasantly to the redhead and hissed out a lung full of smoke.

"Daddy wasn't lyin', ya sure are cute." Atta's smile was sincere and playful, putting Danny at ease despite the nerves bundled in her stomach.

"Thanks. You must be Athena." Danny extended her hand and Atta chuckled, taking it with a firm shake.

"Atta. I stopped usin' my full name when I turned ten." She grinned and gestured to her face. "I already scream, 'Greek girl' enough wouldn't ya say?" Danny laughed and brushed her hair behind her ears with a smile. She'd worn it down in hopes of looking older, but Atta didn't look a year beyond twenty, so she felt comfortable. "You're Danielle, right?"

"Danny, yeah." The two smiled at each other, Danny rocking on her heels while Atta took another drag. "So…"

"Take a seat, girl. There's not a whole lotta customers during the week." Danny nodded and went for a second stool, positioned behind a counter full of CD's. "We just sit here and make faces at the locals." Atta winked and the girls both laughed, looking out the large windows that faced the street. "It's nice to have someone for company. Normally all I have is Pete." Atta gestured towards her feet and Danny leaned over to see. A German shepherd lay in a stretched out position on the floor. He looked up at the curious girl and his eyes wandered away with a bored expression. The dog was almost entirely black and his coat blended him with the dark brown carpet the covered the floor.

"Hi Pete." Danny said with a grin. "He yours?" She asked, crossing her arms loosely over her knees. Atta shook her head, the long black hair flicking behind her right shoulder.

"Pappy's. Been watch dog for almost…" She took a drag and sighed it out, glancing up at the ceiling. "…six years. Wow." Danny chuckled and dismounted her chair, crouching down to pet the dog's back. She was gentle and hesitant, but the animal looked back at her and his tail gradually started to thump on the floor.

"He's a sweetheart." Danny said with a baby voice, reaching up to scratch his head. His mouth flopped open to reveal a long pink tongue and he panted, happy at the attention.

"Yeah, but don't be fooled. Sucker took a chunk out of a junkie a couple years ago." Atta said. "He's mean when he wants to be." Danny snorted, thinking of another male in her life that fit that exact description.

"Lucky he's on our side then." Danny cooed, using both hands to rub Pete's neck. Atta just laughed, bouncing a leg on the stool. A loud roar broke the calm quiet and Pete shot from the floor, startling both girls as he ran to the front door, growling.

"Christ." Atta swore, putting out her cigarette to look with Danny. They both peeked out onto the street, watching as a black car sped by, turning into the lot down the block. Danny swallowed when she recognized Billy's Mustang. She hadn't seen the man in person since Joey'd shown up at Greg's Grill many months ago.

"Ooooh. Something's up." Atta said with raised eyebrows. Danny frowned with confusion as the other girl pushed open the glass door, walking outside. She hesitated before exiting.

"What do you mean?" Danny asked, crossing her arms over her chest as Atta leaned on the front window.

"Billy's been in and out a couple times this mornin'." She whispered, pointing with a finger at the black car. Just as she finished speaking, Billy stood from the driver's side, slamming his door. Danny couldn't see too well from two blocks down, but he towered above the hood of the car, intimidating even from a distance. Another figure exited from the passenger's side and then a third climbed from the back seat. Danny felt her breath still when she recognized Joey. He was lighting a smoke, striding after his brother.

"Yeah?" She managed to mutter, watching with a fluttering heart as the three men disappeared from view. Joey looked different when he was with Billy; he looked tall and…powerful. Danny had to clear her throat a little to swallow the butterflies in her chest. Atta giggled and rocked back on the window, resting her weight on her shoulder blades.

"You'll see, when you've got nothin' to do, ya end up knowin' all this shit." Danny nodded. Atta turned to watch the lot for a few moments. "Damn. Those Darleys." She sighed. "Fuckers are crazy gorgeous." The grin on Danny's face spread into her eyes and she wanted to dance with pride. Instead she played along, leaning next to Atta on the window.

"Billy?" She asked, watching the girl's face. Atta nodded.

"Yeah and Joe, his little bro. Went to school with the kid." She took a drag and shook her head. "Great lay." Danny almost choked, laughing lightly to try and cover up the shock on her face.

"You and Joey?" She managed to squeak out. Her heart felt like it was a kangaroo, bouncing around in her ribs. Atta snorted and exhaled.

"Once, at some kid's party." She turned to flash a grin at Danny. "Rumors were SOOO true."

"Rumors?" Danny didn't want to ask, but her mouth had moved before she'd been able to take it back. Atta held up her hands, palms flat, and spread them apart with a grin. Danny blushed and had to look away. "Oh." Atta laughed and shoved her shoulder lightly.

"Come on, ya never heard about the Darley boys and their reps?" Danny had heard about Billy's, heck even witnessed it, but she'd never ventured into Joey's.

"Not much, no." Atta shook her head.

"Damn, girl. You're missin' out. Billy's got a waiting list a mile long." She licked her lips. "Mama's gotta get herself a piece." Danny snorted and burst out into laughter. Joey hadn't been lying about the girls gunning for his brother. Atta raised an eyebrow with a grin. "Don't judge, girls say that man puts Joey to shame." Danny calmed, taking deep breaths to recover. "And I intend to find out."

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><p><strong>Leave me some love people!<br>Shout out to my girls! You know who you are!  
><strong>


	11. Chapter 11

**Finally put together a chapter for you guys. I'd been piecing this together for a while and it fell into place. =) A bit of character polishing, not a ton of action. But this is what they gave me. LOL. Hope you enjoy. **

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><p><em>Seeing sky for the first time in days, Helen held up her hand, shielding the sun from her eyes. It was pathetic, how pale she'd become. Her once healthy glow was reduced to a pasty tone and the gash on her forehead stood out even more because of it. The dark red mark had been superficial and didn't require stitches, but the blow had merited scans and observation. But now she was out of the infirmary. They'd unleashed her; and she wasn't happy. <em>

_Scanning the yard, Helen found her cellmate leaning against the fence, surrounded by a few of the girls with longer rap sheets. Helen had only been convicted of one crime, not because she was less experienced, but because she was smart. Unfortunately, her bunkmate hadn't seen it that way, and tried to assert her dominance. Clenching her fingers into her palm, the knuckles cracked. _

"_Yard time's over ladies. Line up." As she stood at the back of the line, she waited. Waited until the guard walked by. Waited until her cellmate wasn't expecting anything. Then she pounced. _

Helen raised her fist and slammed it into the black bag, the fresh chalk on her hand puffing into the air around the impact. The sweat on her arms shone in the commercial lighting from above. Every inch was like that, coating her tan skin until it felt thick. But she wouldn't have it any other way. Working off stress, for Helen at least, meant violence. And kickboxing offered that in unlimited supply.

"Kill it yet?" Sid said with a smirk, appearing from the basement stairs. She chuckled and wiped her arm over her forehead, shivering with fatigue. How long had she locked herself in here? Apparently, he was thinking the same thing. "You tryin' to prove somethin'?" Sid murmured. With a dark snort, she pulled an arm across her chest, stretching the limb.

"Just antsy." She replied. "Fuckin' hate waitin' around." Sid stepped into the room further, eyeing her clothes. The small gym in her basement allowed Helen her own private escape, at least long enough to beat a punching bag to a pulp. So down here, she exposed more skin than anywhere else. Being ogled by her men wasn't allowed. But in nothing but a sports bra and a tiny pair of shorts, Sid couldn't help but look. Her hip bones glistened in the light as she turned, the sweat gleaming on every inch of her. She had a flat, strong stomach and a hint abdominal muscles flowed up to her ribs. He remembered when she was skin and bones, sickly after her stint in juvie. Since then she'd fine tuned her diet and spent her evenings working her body into a weapon in itself. The shorts on her thighs displayed the scar on her right leg, the sole imperfection on her strong muscled stems.

"Hell, trustin' Darley is makin' me nervous." He murmured. Helen wiped her face again, smearing chalk on her cheek.

"Just…" With a sigh, she bit her tongue and looked at her feet. "We have no choice." Then she stepped away from the bag, yanking a towel off of a bench nearby. "I can't keep sellin' and have the girls properly watched if I have you guys runnin' around lookin' for a secret Russian love nest." She hissed. Sid shrugged.

"Then I'll hire more guys, just temporarily." He hated Billy Darley and Helen knew it. Any way to push him out would make Sid a happy man. Rubbing the towel over her arms, she shook her head.

"This aint a fuckin' boy scout troop. We don't just yank nobodies off the streets and show them the entire fuckin' operation." That made Sid shift and a frown formed on his face. His fists shook as he walked around the boarder of the room, purposefully away from Helen.

"Don't fuckin' talk to me like I'm an idiot." He growled. His temper rarely got out of hand with her, but for some reason, she'd pushed the right button. "I'm an O'Connor. My grandfather robbed banks, my father robbed banks, and I pulled my first job when I was sixteen. I know the best of the best." His voice was echoing in the cement room and Helen tossed her towel onto the bench, glaring at him while he seethed. "Don't talk to me like I'm stupid." He repeated, setting a fist on the wall as he focused his rage on the cinderblock squares. Taking deep breaths, he let the anger flow from his lungs, leaving him cooler with each exhale. This whole situation, the Russians, Darley, it was driving him mad.

"Ya know…" He jolted around, surprised by the proximity of Helen's voice. She was barefoot so her steps had been silent as she'd approached from behind. "…I don't trust a lot of people." Sid swallowed. It was a truth he'd experienced himself. Helen hadn't even trusted him until they'd spent a while together. Now he was the only one she vouched for. "And I don't like putting faith in anybody." Another truth. To this day, every robbery they pulled required Helen's presence. She never got comfortable enough to let someone do her job. "But—"

He sniffed and looked away, hating the trust she'd bestowed upon Billy Darley. According to her, she'd only seen him two or three times since she'd left juvie.

"Christ, Sid. Just hear me out." Using her palms, she smeared her hands over her face. "I knew him before he was the gang lord, the criminal, the womanizer. All of it." Sid clamped on his back teeth.

"So? I knew plenty of kids, doesn't mean I trust 'em." He was being a smartass and Helen tipped her head to the side, gritting her teeth.

"JUST listen." She snarled. He crossed his arms and she took a breath before she continued. "Billy Darley lives by a code. The same one we had since we were kids. Keep your own shit and piss on anyone who tries to take it." Sid snorted dryly and Helen raised an eyebrow. "He wants these guys out. I know that. You know that. So now…" She flopped her arms to her sides, slapping her thighs with her palms. "…we just have to fuckin' wait."

He bit on his jaw a few times, grinding the muscles in his cheeks while he thought about it. Then he gave a small nod.

"Fuck." She muttered, walking away as she shook her head. "Good mornin' to you too." He followed and let a small smirk lift the corner of his mouth.

"Where we headed?" He asked as he climbed the stairs after her, clomping his boots.

"Corner. Wanna get there before noon." She muttered. He sighed and watched her retreat into her bedroom. It was going to be a long day.

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><p>The sun was blinding as the door opened, outlining a dark, tall silhouette. And with a slam, the broad figure of Billy Darley swooped into the bar, bringing with him a cloud of heat from the outdoors. When his face appeared, his head was slightly lowered and he raised a cigarette to his lips as he charged towards his booth. Heco and Baggy were already there, hunched over a pitcher of beer. At the arrival of their leader, they instantly straightened, Baggy shooing the newest waitress from his lap. Billy leaned in over the table when he reached them.<p>

"So?" He growled. Sleep had been hard to come by and, to add to it, the news he'd received hadn't been uplifting.

"It was some rich asshole. Not the right guys." In silence, Billy processed, taking another long drag as he loomed over the table. Spink and Joey stood behind him, his ride alongs. No one spoke, bracing themselves for the fury swirling in his eyes. After a moment, Billy tensed before placing his palms onto the table.

"Did, ANYONE see you?" Both men shook their heads in unison, jumping slightly at Billy's bellowing.

"Nah, Bill. We took Tiff's car." Heco said, glancing into Billy's eyes only to immediately look away. Something else had their leader set on full blast that morning, and everyone diverted their eyes to sneak looks at each other.

"And Heco drove like a granny." Baggy added, trying to reassure with a small hint of comic relief. Joey appreciated the visual and snorted, causing Billy to turn and scowl at his little brother.

"The fuck is so funny?" He growled. That shut everyone up, even the two drunks sitting on the other side of the bar. But Joey made a face.

"Lighten up, Bill. We still—" Billy snarled and advanced on his brother.

"WE?" No one moved and Joey swallowed. "Get in the car." Billy growled.

"Bil—"

"I SAID GET IN THE FUCKIN' CAR!" His voice filled the bar like a bomb, ringing in everyone's ears. Joey flinched and took a step back. But he didn't say a word. After a few blinks, he retreated backwards to the front, glaring at his brother.

None of the men moved, frozen to their seats like statues. Once again, Billy leaned over the table, motioning for Spink to sit. When they were all in the booth, he lowered his voice.

"Put another shift on B street. No one can hear about this." He looked each of the men in the eye before he stood up to tower over them. "Or we're all dead." If Bones even got a whiff of their plan, he'd be fulfilling his promise, with bullets. "No one. No girls. No friends." They all nodded, taking his instructions in silence. Then he stared at all of the men, raising an eyebrow. "GET UP!" Jolting from the booth, they left quickly, passing with lowered eyes.

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><p>Joey smoked against the Mustang, muttering to himself. His brother had a trigger temper and it ran in the family. But, around Billy, Joey had to hold his in check, remain respectful. Leaning his head back, he blew smoke into the sky. Spink, Baggy, and Heco appeared a few moments later, hustling towards the red Duster in silence. And Joey knew what would come next.<p>

Billy exploded from the front door of the Four Roses, stomping across the lot in his direction. Throwing his cigarette, Joey opened the passenger door, slipping into the seat. His brother joined him moments later, slamming his door behind him.

"The fuck crawled up your ass?" Joey growled. Alone, he and Billy were brothers, equals. And he wasn't going to take that much shit for nothing.

"You and your big fuckin' mouth." Billy snarled, sucking the end of a cigarette while he shoved his key into the ignition.

"I don't say shit to any—"

"THIS WILL GET YOU KILLED!" He screamed, leaning to loom over the passenger seat. His brother's volume seized Joey's chest, legitimately scaring him. After a few furious breaths, Billy sat back hard into the seat, slamming a palm on the steering wheel. "Fuck Joe." Joey was still reeling, his normally sturdy attitude shattered. In that moment, Billy had reduced him to the feeble child he used to be, hiding in Bones' shadow. He stared straight ahead, taking deep breaths to fight the memories. Being beaten senseless while the bellowing drowned him. It took a lot of will power to maintain the angry expression on his face. Eventually Billy leaned his head back, swallowing; his Adam's apple bobbed under his tattoos.

"Ya can't be part of this shit. Cuz it aint the normal game." He murmured. "If Bones hears about it…he'll kill me." Then he stared at Joey's face, still reclined. "And he'll kill ya too if he thinks ya were a part of it."

Joey eased when his brother finished. Even though he didn't like being screamed at, now he understood Billy's outbursts. It was just like when they were kids. His brother was protecting him.

"_What the fuck is this?" Bones pointed at Joey's shoes and the seven year old followed the finger, realizing he'd tracked mud through the front hall. He'd run into the house, out of the rain, forgetting about his shoes. It was his sopping wet clothes that had been on his mind. Now, as he trembled in the hallway, the material clung to his tiny frame as his blond hair dripped down his neck. _

"_I didn't—" The first slap caught him in the mouth, sending him sprawling to the floor. He'd barely had a moment to collect himself before Bones was hissing air from his nose, hauling him to his feet._

"_Ya didn't think? Is that what ya were gonna say, son?" Joey's face wrinkled into a cry, a tiny bit of blood starting from his gun line. His baby teeth, so easily lost. A sob started in his throat and Bones raised a palm._

"_FUCK THIS FUCKIN' WEATHER!" A third voice rose in the house, interrupting. A loud clunk was accompanied by numerous squishing sounds and Joey stuttered a breath. Billy. _

"_Got my FUCKIN' JACKET WET." His brother shrieked, clomping down the hallway in mud-caked boots. When he came into view, Joey swallowed at the look in Billy's eye. 'I'm here.'_

"_You're both fuckin' useless." Bones snarled. Then he charged, dropping Joey while he grabbed Billy by a fist of his blond hair. "STOMPIN' AND SCREAMIN' IN MY HOUSE LIKE YA OWN IT?" Joey scrambled to his feet and Billy tossed him a quick glance before he responded with a flinch. _

"_GET OFF ME!" He yelled. The urge to cry was harder now and Joey let sobs come. Billy could talk his way out of anything, and he'd deliberately walked into a beating. To save Joey from one. He'd known just what to say to divert the blame, to absorb the punishment. Bones brought a hand down across Billy's cheek, tearing back on his hair. _

"_SHUT YOUR FUCKIN' MOUTH!" Their father bellowed, hitting his oldest son again. Joey just sank to the floor, clutching his knees while Billy took the blows, eyes open to watch his little brother. _

But they weren't kids anymore.

"Bill…I want ta help." Joey murmured. "I wanna be with you guys, all the way." Billy hissed a cloud of smoke from his nose and sat forward, shoving the car into drive.

"No." If it had been any other day, Joey would have argued until he was blue in the face. But Billy was atomic…so he let it go. As they drove silently to the hospital, Joey thought about the memory over and over. Someday he'd return the favor. Someday, he'd be there for Billy. Glancing to his left, he watched his brother grind his teeth, flexing his jaw. But not today.

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><p>"And then…I heard this one time…Billy did three cheerleaders, during a football game…before halftime…" Atta made a face and took a drag on her fourth cigarette of the afternoon. She'd been talking about the Darleys for a while and it had proven to be a great source of entertainment for Danny. Not to mention information. Atta had unlocked a history Joey had neglected to mention for months. "….then he didn't even stay and watch them at halftime." She let out a loud snort, shaking her head. "Broke a million hearts that boy. And he didn't care." Danny had to smile. She'd seen Billy up close once in her life, and he'd been both seductive and intimidating in the same moment. It wasn't hard to imagine that he could crush a girl's hopes. Atta finally stopped recollecting and glanced over, crossing her legs on her stool.<p>

"So where did you go to school again?" Danny sighed, knowing what Atta would say before she'd replied.

"Cameron Prep." And just as she'd expected, Atta let out a small snort.

"No wonder ya haven't heard of the Darleys. My my." Then she leaned closer. "Do ya mind me askin' why you're workin' on this side of town?" Danny grinned to herself and ran a hand over her knee.

"My boyfriend lives around here." She answered. Boyfriend. It was weird calling Joey that. And to be honest, it didn't seem to fit. Especially now, after talking about him for over an hour like a stranger. Danny glanced over at Atta.

She'd always known Joey had a past. But his past was just something she'd never needed to hear. So being told about it brought her mixed emotions. In school, she'd been the jealous type and learning about Joey's fling with Atta stung. Knowing that he wasn't untouched before her…it was silly, but it made her feel second best. But then she'd reminded herself that she hadn't been a virgin before they'd met either. Danny'd had two boyfriends during high school. And, after hours of focusing on Billy, Danny realized that Joey hadn't meant a thing to Atta. But Joey meant the world to Danny. With a small grin, she wrinkled her nose.

And she knew he loved her.

Atta raised an eyebrow at Danny's expression and snorted, looking back out the window.

"You have plans for the weekend?" Danny asked, trying to change the topic before Atta asked about her boyfriend. Connected the dots. It wasn't that she was hiding the truth, but she didn't want to put it out on display. If she wasn't careful, big ripples could come of her presence. She knew Billy didn't like her relationship with his brother already. How he'd react to her relocation plans…she had no idea. Atta grinned at her and absentmindedly ran her fingernails over her forearm.

"Four Roses. I used to go every weekend." Then she smirked, taking another drag. "Used to date the bartender…Sam. Now I gotta play secret agent, sneak in when it's busy." She hissed the smoke into the air. "Fucker has a temper and, unfortunately, has the authority to kick me out." With a small laugh, Danny mimicked Atta's grin. "But! I got a plan. If I land Billy Darley…" The woman kicked one leg with a victorious motion. "…Sam won't be able to throw my ass out anymore." Atta glanced at her watch.

"Fuck. It's almost five. Here I am talkin' your ear off and your shift's over." Danny slid from her stool.

"No, I loved your stories. I expect more." She said lightly, starting towards the back of the store. Her purse was locked in the desk and she quickly rustled through the old office to retrieve it. Checking her reflection in an old mirror, she wandered from the cluttered back, weaving through the shelves that housed items on pawn. There were many strange things, several of them laugh worthy and obviously pawned for a quick buck. Danny stopped when she passed a slender, black box. It caught her eye and called her closer, sitting atop a stereo. It was clean and mysterious, standing out from the CD's and random junk that surrounded it. Curiosity got the best of her and Danny gently opened the lid, looking inside.

A small gasp escaped her lips.

Inside, resting on black felt, was a pocketknife. It wasn't a cheap, whittling knife; it was a black, savage instrument, gleaming as the light from the ceiling hit the blade. Danny's pulse pounded in her fingertips as she dared herself to reach inside to inspect it further.

Then Atta coughed in the distance, making her jump and instantly replace the lid. Walking briskly, she returned to the front of the store.

"Well, I guess I'll see you Monday."

"Yeah, sure." Atta replied, smiling pleasantly. "Maybe that boyfriend of yours can take ya to the Roses…come find me." She winked and Danny nodded. As she passed the counter, she leant down and petted Pete's head, giving the tired dog a quick loving before she left.

"Sounds like a plan." She said over her shoulder. Then she straightened and pushed through the front door, starting for her car. After today, the idea of seeing the Darleys up close in their world seemed thrilling. Danny hadn't seen Joey on his side of town. He'd always been playing as the away team, slinking under the radar at her father's grill or disappearing from her apartment in a growling car. This, however, was his domain. And, from what she'd witnessed that afternoon, he was magnificent in this light.

But going to the Four Roses was a horrible idea. Danny swallowed as she thought about meeting Billy under different pretenses. As Joey's girl. She'd seen the gleam in Detective Morrison's eye months ago. Billy was a big fish and in a word, dangerous. If he could scare Joey, he would definitely scare her. Despite her reassurances to his little brother, Billy Darley struck fear in Danny Reynolds' gut. And she wasn't ready to face that yet. Not anytime soon.

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><p><strong>Love to my faithful! Love ya girls! And all you silent folk as well. =D Adore ya all. <strong>


	12. Chapter 12

**I am so sorry for the delay my darlings. I can't even tell you guys how many drafts of this I've written, read over, and then thrown into the garbage. So I just waited for the chapter to come to me. And it DID! I hope you enjoy. =) **

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><p>What had changed, she didn't know. But when the morning started, Helen felt different. Something had shifted in her mind, like a clock chiming the hour. She rose from her bed and let her toes sink into the carpet below. The sun lit the room with a pink hue, warming the white walls around her. And she let herself breathe.<p>

For the first time in months, she felt whole. Standing on her tiptoes, she flexed both her legs, letting the muscles clench and speak to her. Another breath. The fear was gone. She closed her eyes and reached to the ceiling, extending as far as she could. Physically she'd been whole days ago. Doc had cleared her yet she'd still been missing the fire. Her mind had withdrawn into itself and left her lost, isolated.

But as she stared at herself in the mirror over the sink, Helen smirked. Her mind was clear, speaking loudly. The strength and resolve of her former-self was back, filling the gaps her body had left vulnerable. And she wasn't afraid anymore. Not of dying, not of weakness, not of failure.

Not of Billy Darley.

And just like that, Helen Gates was healed.

She spent more time in the bathroom than she had in a while, polishing to perfection. Then she dressed in her favorite jeans and shirt, pulled out her best jacket, and styled her hair. When she left her room, she felt reborn. Reenergized.

"Get up." Helen commanded, throwing Sid's discarded jacket onto his sleeping face. He jolted on the couch and groaned, pushing the leather away to see. Squinting, he looked up at her, and raised an eyebrow.

"What th—" She grinned and kicked his leg lightly, walking away towards the front door.

"Come on, we have shit to do."

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><p>The day had passed slowly, filled with useless errands and frustration. And he let out a small sigh as he dug out his keys to open the front door. When he entered the apartment, Joey noticed Danny had left a light on for him in the living room. If he'd known the Four Roses would be so slow, he would have abandoned Baggy and Spink hours ago to come home to his girl. Crossing the room, he flicked the switch to darken the apartment. Then he shed his jacket, tossing it on a chair near the bedroom.<p>

Joey stood in the doorway, smoking in long, deep drags. His mind was numb as he stared, watching her breathe. She was gorgeous. Dark, red hair tossed over her pillow with a hand resting on his empty one. He smiled. If there was one thing that wasn't going wrong in his life, it was Danielle. Billy was a walking storm, the men were all tired from working their asses off, and Joey was banned from the hospital. He'd even gotten the cold shoulder on the corners. His brother was pushing him away, hardcore.

With a small moan, she rolled onto her side. Another crappy thing about his week: Danny had been working. Everyday. He'd barely been able to carry a conversation with her before she'd pass out in his arms. And it had taken its toll; watching her was starting to drive him crazy. So he stubbed out his cigarette and crossed the room slowly, pulling his shirt over his head as he went. His jeans came second, piled on the floor with his socks. As he slipped under the sheets, he wrapped an arm around Danny's ribs, pulling her close. She was his. He took a deep breath. The most comfort he ever felt was here, beside his girl.

"You're pokin' me." Danny mumbled into her pillow. He could hear the smile in her voice. It was true; she'd riled him with her soft sighs and moonlit skin. And the proof was pressed into her back. Joey wormed his hips against her bottom and purred a hot exhale into her ear.

"I'm happy to see ya." They both laughed lightly and she turned in his arms. When her lips came into view, he didn't hesitate to occupy them with his own, starting soft to only grow more urgent. Her hand on his shoulder didn't yield, holding him back. Suddenly, he knew something wasn't right. Pulling back with a frown, he swept hair from her face.

"Danielle, what's wrong?" He only used her full name when he wanted effect. And he got it. With a sigh, she looked down his face to his chin, using a finger to stroke the hair there. Then she shrugged, avoiding his gaze as she responded.

"I'm just tired." Danny whispered. He groaned.

"Come on. There's something botherin' ya. I can see it." Joey gently lifted her chin with one hand while tugging her closer under the sheets.

"I'm just not in the mood." She whispered. Everything about the excuse screamed that it was a lie. Joey raised an eyebrow and brushed his nose to her cheek.

"We've never had this long of a dry spell, baby." He lowered his voice, purring into her jaw. "And the girl I remember couldn't get enough." Her eyes looked strange suddenly, almost…nervous. That made his grin disappear and Danny's gaze shied away.

"I just can't stop thinking about Atta…." before she could finish, Joey groaned and rubbed a hand over his face.

"Fuck. Stupid fuckin—"

"I'm not angry, I'm just…" Danny touched his neck with her fingertips, tracing the star as she shrugged away the end of the sentence.

"Jealous?" He said the word with a twinge of disgust. When she didn't respond, he plucked her hand away from his neck. "Look at me." Her eyes were hesitant and he felt like he was in bed with a stranger. "I love you." Joey said the words with a firm resolve. "And I can tell ya, Danielle, there isn't another person on this earth…" he slipped his hand down her wrist and forearm, drawing the arm around his neck. "…anyone…" _not even Billy_ he thought to himself, "…that I've told that to." Suddenly he was clenching his jaw and exhaling with little hisses.

"No one compares." He murmured. It almost made him angry, Danny feeling inferior to the women in his past. She had all of him. Truly, no one else could claim that feat. Petting her face with his hand, Joey pressed his lips to hers.

"Forget Atta. Forget everything else." Then, with a swift roll of their bodies, he positioned himself above her. "It's just me and you." Danny played with his hair for a moment, scanning his expression like she was searching for something. Slowly, her face melted into a smile and she touched his chest.

"I love you, Joey." She whispered the words, eyes shining from the light outside. And he was happy. Bending an elbow, he started to roll onto his side, but Danny's knees held his hips above her. He didn't need anymore of an invitation. Joey wrapped his arms around her chest, dipping his head to take her mouth in his.

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><p>Billy hated waiting. And he'd been waiting for days.<p>

Sitting in his car, smoking angrily from the driver's seat, he forced himself to wait just a little longer. He was running out of patience, but it was his only play. Anything else, and it would cost him dearly. Not only was he working against a dangerous enemy, he was being watched by his own father. So he'd depended on his men to play everything off as normal. They ran the corner, made their product, and partied all night. What no one noticed was the couple of men that would disappear. Heco and Baggy, Bodie and Jaime, Spink and Tommy….always in pairs. But no two that would attract too much attention.

Although, tonight Billy had taken a shift. It was getting nerve wrecking, having only the word of his men to oversee their plan. So he and Heco were sitting in the dark. Alone. And bored.

"Goddamn B street." Billy muttered. "Fuckin' idiots think they can start runnin' under my nose." Heco shifted in the passenger seat and Billy glanced at him. Immediately his expression softened. His companion came from this side of town. He probably knew the families of many B street members.

"Your old lady still live around here?" He asked. No one knew much about Heco's past, except for Billy and Baggy. It had been Baggy who'd found him and Billy made it his business to know his men before they became his men.

"Yeah." It was a simple answer and quietly muttered. The subject was sore for the cook, and Billy knew it. Growing up a minority in poverty was never easy; Billy had dealt with that with Bodie. But Heco had been alone, helping his mother scrape together enough food to feed his younger brothers and sisters. They were yet another mystery. And it was lucky Billy even knew about them; Heco had slipped up one night after a few too many drinks.

"These punks, they're assholes." Billy defined B street, clearing the air. Regardless of where Heco had been raised, he was a Darley member now, not B street. "And they had their chance to move on without causin' problems."

"Yeh, I know Billy."

"Soon as we deal with the Russians, we're makin' heads roll down here." Billy finished, growling the end of the sentence with a menacing sneer. "Fuckers aren't gettin' off scott-free for this shit."

They were parked on a residential street, near a house that many gang members moved in and out of during the day. Baggy and Heco cleverly dubbed the run-down place "the hive" and it proved to function as such. Men, big and small, with tattooed B's on their bodies would duck into the front door and remain inside for several hours at a time.

"Who's place is this again?" Billy asked several minutes later. Heco shifted in his seat, leaning back and crossing his arms as his eyelids drooped. The warm car and the long silent minutes made it a prime nap spot.

"Some nobody." Billy nodded but frowned.

"So who's the big fish?"

"Guy named Renzo. Crossed as a kid, still has family down South." Heco murmured softly, reaching back into his memory. So many people lived in this neighborhood, but he knew a lot of the names and history that went with the faces. "Probably how he started shit back up. Through them." Billy exhaled heavily. Cocaine wasn't easily come by unless you had connections. The Mexican and Florida border was the biggest route, and you needed a pipeline of people to get it into the country.

"Make sure we take care of him." Billy growled. "I'm not fixing these assholes a third time." Heco nodded and rubbed his fingers over his forehead, leaning on an elbow.

"Haven't seen 'im here tonight." He murmured. Secretly, he was hoping Billy would take the hint and let them leave. So far, the B street gang had only partied and stood around uselessly on the corner's, selling to teenagers and reeling in girls with product. Just as he figured Billy would never take the hint, a man stumbled from the house and fell down the front steps, two of his buddies laughing at him from the porch.

"Fuckin' idiots." Billy hissed, exhaling smoke with a snarl. "Waste of my fuckin' time." Heco wanted to sing as the angry gang lord brought his car to life.

* * *

><p>He couldn't get enough. Joey was sweating and exhausted, but he continued slowly thrusting his stiff length into Danny's warm body. He'd already finished once, roaring to orgasm from the sheer thirst for the woman below him. They'd been fast and needy as if reuniting from a long separation. Which, in a way, they had been apart. But not anymore. Now they were taking their time, each moment savored.<p>

"Joey." Danny whimpered into his ear. "My Joey." He paused while deep inside her, and looked into her eyes. Using both his hands, he cradled her face and kissed her lips. Their mouths lingered together, breathing from each other. Seconds became minutes as he held her close and when he moved again, she shuddered and came with a sigh. Joey sped slightly and followed her, moaning into her temple as his body seized. While he weakened, Danny hugged his torso, stroking his spine until he relaxed and rolled to her side.

They lay quiet for a while and she drifted off into a light slumber. But he was still thinking, his mind unable to drift away from Danny's words. He'd kept her a secret and it was starting to put a divide between them. He could recite romantic speeches until he was blue in the face, but the fact remained that no one knew her. She wasn't entirely in his life.

And he wanted her to be. He couldn't risk losing her over fear. Fear of what the men would think; fear of what his brother would think. Joey sat up and found a pack in the nightstand, withdrawing a cigarette. What Billy thought was already established. His brother didn't believe in love or commitment. To him, they were hindrances for the weak. Joey lit his smoke and inhaled, wishing he could show his brother how wrong he was.

"Not in here, please." Danny whined, rolling over to push on his shoulder. With a small snort, he slid from the bed and walked around the mattress towards the living room. When he didn't attempt to clothe himself again, Danny laughed lightly and called to him from beneath the sheets. "Joey, don't go outside naked. You're gonna kill Mrs. Letweig." His face reappeared in the doorway and he wagged his eyebrows, cigarette hanging in his lips.

"My dick should be illegal, cuz it's a lethal weapon." Danny cackled and fell back into her pillow, writhing in a fit of giggles.

"You're so corny." She wheezed to herself, panting from laughter. Joey only grinned and snatched his boxers from the floor, disappearing outside.

Leaning just beside the front door, he stared at the sky. It was pitch black, but the stars were defined, twinkling in the darkness. Crickets sang from all directions, lulling his mind into a quiet meditation.

She wanted to move into his side of town. Live with him completely, on his terms. On his turf. Any other man would be thrilled, moving closer to his life, his family. But Joey still felt a hesitation. Stokely was dangerous. You had to be tough to survive and scary to thrive. That's how Billy had gained his power and that's how Bones still had his. And Joey knew he'd have to be the same way. That would bring a target to his front door. He'd become a person of interest in every police matter, same as his brother and father. He'd have to guard himself from attack at every hour of the day.

Could he bring Danny into that life?

"Ya know, those don't hide much." He hadn't heard her join him, stepping in her bare feet onto the cement sidewalk outside. Joey smiled gently and wrapped an arm around Danny's shoulders, rubbing her arms. She'd thrown on a large sweatshirt, and probably nothing else. "Especially if you don't button them." Her finger poked in the open crotch of his boxers, flicking over the soft skin beneath. He fidgeted and squeezed her closer with a grin.

"So sue me. It's a free country."

"When they said 'free', I don't think they meant 'free bird'." Danny said with a smirk. Hissing smoke in a laugh, he shook his head and kissed her lips, wrapping his second arm around her until they were enveloped in each other. The night cooed for them and they just watched the street, Joey taking small drags over Danny's head.

"I ever tell you how my ma died?" His voice sounded loud in the silence, but it was barely a whisper. Looking up into his eyes, she didn't answer, but gently shook her head. He adjusted his arms on her body, hugging her closer before he spoke again.

"She wasn't really cut out for Bones' shit. They were together before he was….well….Bones. And when he started calling the shots, things changed. He changed. At least, that's what Billy says." He paused and thought about Billy's rare recollections of their mother. He used to tell Joey the same couple of stories to get him to sleep, or shut up. But that had been years ago, when the brothers were still children. Danny didn't ask any questions, just listened and nuzzled her face into his chest.

"She got real sad. A couple years after I was born, she just stopped. Wouldn't get out of bed, wouldn't eat. Made Billy crazy and Bones didn't see it." Joey couldn't imagine he could let that happen to Danielle. But then again, Bones probably hadn't either. "He was so wrapped up in his life that he didn't notice her until she took her own." It was a cruel truth, but the truth nonetheless.

"She killed herself?" Danny whispered, the first question, and the hardest.

"Yeah. Heroine." He murmured the words like he was thinking aloud, falling back into his memories. Then he frowned. "Fuckin' stupid. He let her die. Let his business kill his family." After a minute, Danny squeezed him lightly.

"Don't be afraid, Joey." She whispered. He left the unspoken middle ground untouched, rubbing her back. "Because I'm not."

* * *

><p>In the dark, their car blended perfectly. The brand new, black exterior was undetectable in the unlit street. And they watched without fear, knowing they had the upper hand. They were the predator, stalking the prey. A blond man turned to his companion, motioning for a pair of binoculars to be passed. With a quick glance into the lenses, he grinned and handed them back.<p>

The young one, he was outside in his underwear. Both men found this amusing, shaking their heads as he smoked in the cold night. And they were further perplexed when he was joined by a woman without pants. Apparently, neither realized it was nearing autumn and the weather wasn't warm any longer. Their previous several hours of observation had provided little information, but proved interesting. And, as the young one returned inside, the blond man started the car and slinked away into darkness.

* * *

><p><strong>More soon! I promise. =) <strong>


	13. Chapter 13

**On a bit of a streak with this one. Expect an update tomorrow. You heard me TOMORROW. Love you all. Hope you enjoy. =)  
>Btw, this references some events from "Three Grand and a Million Years". If you haven't read it, you should. ;)<br>**

* * *

><p><em>He must have been staring because she eventually caught him and made a face. <em>

"_The fuck is your problem, Derrley?" Billy let the insult go unanswered as he stood from his spot on the brick wall. He'd waited until after school and had been watching her smoke alone in the back. Watching and appreciating her in a new light._

"_You look like a girl. Excuse me for bein' shocked." He grinned as he neared, looking at her figure from close up. That morning, Bodie had pointed her out and Billy hadn't believed his eyes. After years of stupidly big clothes, Helen Gates had shown up in a skirt. And if that wasn't enough of a surprise, she'd worn a tank top with it. _

_Then there was her hair. Billy had thought she looked weird with the platinum locks at first. But he'd caught glimpses of her throughout the day and it was starting to sink in, the brown fading from his memory. As he came to a stop only a few feet from her on the wall, he noticed her brown eyes stood out with the blonde hair. So much so that he realized she had pretty, lush eyes. _

"_Imagine that. I show a little skin and manwhore comes sniffing." Helen snorted at him and took a drag, looking away with disinterest. Suddenly Billy wished he hadn't been so mean to her. With other girls, he was the mysterious and dangerous bad boy. To Helen, he was just another asshole. _

"_A little skin?" He grinned, putting as much charm into his deep voice as possible. And it won her attention. With a raised brow, she turned toward him. "I don't think I've ever seen you out of your jeans." He purred. Helen didn't miss the innuendo. He was a smooth talker for a highschooler. _

"_I'm sure you've got plenty of girls willing to shed their jeans for ya. So go find them." She said with a smirk. But it wasn't forceful, it was almost playful. Like they were volleying and she'd given him a serve. _

"_Sure, but who wants to lose it to an entire team of cheerleaders?" He watched his words stun her momentarily and laughed in his throat. Yup. The rumors of his triumphs were only half true. He'd made out with girls and done unforgiveable things to them with his hands, but he'd never slept with anyone. It always felt exposed when he thought about it. Letting a random girl take that part of him. _

"_Yeah right." Helen sputtered. Her laugh said she didn't believe him, but her eyes were still deliberating. "You're lyin'." _

"_Why would I lie about that?" He said with a snort. "Ya lie about fuckin' girls, not bein' a virgin." Helen took a drag. _

"_Fine. So why you tellin' me?" Billy shrugged and asked himself the same question. Why had he told her? _

_Because he wanted her. Ever since a month ago, when he'd turned fourteen, Billy had been looking to lose his virginity. All the older boys bragged about screwing girls in their cars, in parking lots, or on their couches. He wanted to know that feeling. He wanted to walk into a party and pick anyone without fearing the first time. But he needed to have it first. And Helen was the perfect solution. _

"_You're a girl. You're not clingy." He took a breath. "And you're cool, I guess. So I figured we could do each other. Ya know." She just stared at him, cigarette smoldering in her hand. Billy took a step closer and flashed his best smile. "You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours kinda thing." Helen snorted softly and took a drag while he moved closer. He was taller now, standing easily a foot over her. After a few moments, she glimpsed down at his lips, then back to his eyes. _

"_Fine." She muttered. "But it doesn't mean we're friends." Billy snorted._

"_Deal." Then they just stood there on the wall, pulses rising with anticipation. What was it they'd just agreed to? _

"_Tonight then?" Helen asked, flicking her butt away. With a nod, he stepped back. _

"_The lot. Seven." She crossed her arms. _

"_Fine." He started around the building towards the front._

"_Fine." _

* * *

><p>It was barely morning. By the numbers on his dash, Billy knew he could probably have been asleep for a few hours at the least. Instead, he was driving slowly through the slums of B Street.<p>

Technically, the gang's name was appropriate. The origins of the coke-dealing group came from the true B St. in Southern Boston or "Southie". At one time, there'd been two main powers in Southie: Bones Darley from Stokely and Manuel Gutierrez from Flaherty.

Stokely had been a local name for the oldest part of Southie, used by the crusty Irish immigrants and passed through their bloodlines. Before Bones, Stokely had been a small area, marked by a few pubs and run down apartments. Now, Stokely consumed nearly all of Southie, the old term not only taking on new meaning but new power. More people called the unofficial neighborhood of Stokely home than ever before.

Flaherty was an area named after a park. Traditionally, Flaherty was bordered by four streets: 2nd Street, 7th Street, A Street, and C Street. So when Manuel and his boys appeared, they took the name of the street that divided the territory in two, the same street where Flaherty park still stood. B Street.

As they neared C, Heco sat up and gazed down the block. Billy noticed without turning his head. He was more curious than sentimental when he suddenly took the corner, gliding onto the poorly lit street. As Heco looked at him, Billy took a drag and glanced to his side, lightly smirking. The two watched the houses as they passed, each a unique piece among a random collection. It wasn't like the developments in the beautiful suburbs; this was the place that had started it all. The roots of Boston came from here, the blue collar, humble homes and musty bars.

"I tried to get her ta move." Heco suddenly murmured. "But mi madre….she's what they call una mujer dura….tough lady." Billy snorted and Heco grinned, dragging his knuckle along the glass as they continued down the street. "Fuckin' refused to leave this neighborhood, even after we were all gone." Silence filled the car once again and Billy let it linger. Family was something that no one liked to talk about. That was something left close to the vest, shielded from sight. But the gang had become a family all their own, growing and protecting each other.

Near the end of the long street, both men noticed a white 1989 Mercedes Benz parked on the street. Unlike the rest, it was well kept and sported long, red racing stripes along the sides along with shiny rims on the hubcaps. The Mustang came to a stop beside the tricked-out car and Heco clicked his tongue.

"What a waste." Where one man saw a car, they saw a defiled machine. As they idled next to the white car, a girl walked around the corner, visible briefly as she clicked down the street. Her outfit said more than a resume could; a black skirt was squeezed onto her thighs, leaving very little leg to the imagination and a red top hugged every curve of her chest. It was safe to say she caused a shift in the focus of their attention. Before either man could inspect her further, she turned up a walkway from the sidewalk. The sound of the highway nearby hid their presence as the woman waited at the door.

"You think they're runnin' girls?" Heco whispered. Billy rubbed a hand over his cheek, watching as he contemplated. So far, B Street had only been in the drug business, but this girl looked like a pro. After a few moments, the exterior light came on and the door opened. The girl disappeared inside and the light remained on, exposing the street more than Billy liked. Pulling away quickly, they retreated into the dark and Heco studied Billy's expression.

"That car's not cheap." He finally murmured. Billy flexed his jaw. "Billy, I know this hood. Ya didn't have shit like that unless you—" The words stopped and Heco dropped his eyes, staring at the clock with a glazed look of contemplation.

"Unless what?" Billy muttered. With a shrug, Heco snapped back to focus.

"Unless you're runnin' for B Street."

* * *

><p>People say you shouldn't judge someone until you've walked in their shoes. Helen suddenly understood the idea, glaring down at the black, sky high stilettos on her feet. Her girls had gained a new respect in her eyes.<p>

"You're prettier than I expected." He purred, reaching out to brush his fingers over her jaw. It forced her to pay attention, look him in the eye. She'd forgotten what her looks did to men. They got touchy.

"You're not bad yourself." She teased back, pushing away her instinct to kick him in the balls. Unwanted contact was not her style. But it was means to an end for now; she had to deal. Her response made him grin and cup her head, rubbing his thumb over the soft skin in front of her ear. The touch was so intimate it made her skin crawl. Only one man had stroked her this way and her current companion was no Billy Darley. His breath stunk of tequila and another starchy smell. It took a lot to not wrinkle her nose in protest.

"Vete conmigo." He whispered into her face. Helen wanted to laugh at his feeble attempt at seduction, but played along.

"Your accent is sexy." She giggled as he pulled her away. Thankfully no one would know about this embarrassing display. This guy, he'd be taking the following events to his grave. Tonight. He led her into a room with a couch and bar. Helen wished she could have a drink, but she needed her focus. Besides, she wanted to enjoy this, feel every second.

"Wow." Letting her voice grow ditsy, she circled and looked around the room. The space was decent for the neighborhood and he'd put a little money into it. "Nice place. You a business man or somethin'?" He laughed and grabbed her around the waist from behind, purring into her neck.

"Or somethin', yeah." Helen grinned and spun in his arms.

"Where we doin' this, fella?" He answered with a swift swoop of his arms, lifting her only to plop her promptly onto the nearby sofa. The laughter from her lips was high pitched and squeaky as she lay on her back. It was cut short, however, when he sat back on his knees and ran his hands up her legs. That wasn't a part of the plan.

"Madre de dios." He murmured, lifting her skirt to get a look beneath. Helen flew into action and grabbed his shirt by the collar, tugging him up to her face. With an internal sigh, she connected with his lips, distracting him momentarily. His body went slack, relaxing on top of her, and she felt relief spread through her limbs. Slowly, he regained awareness enough to fumble with his fly, pushing the jeans to his ankles. Then she pounced. Using her knees, she flipped him and sent them both from the couch to the floor, tumbling in a slightly painful fall. As he smacked the hardwood, he let out a grunt and Helen reached under her skirt, drawing her blade in a flash.

Grabbing both of his hands, she pinned his wrists above his head, one hand atop the other, palms up. Before he could struggle, she brought the knife down.

* * *

><p>Billy thought about the implications the entire way home. What if B Street was more involved than initially thought? What if the Russians had made a deal with them to restore their power? If so, what was the tradeoff? He had more questions than answers and it was driving him crazy. But he kept it internal, hiding it from Heco. These problems needed to be investigated before he jumped to conclusions. The last thing he wanted was his men getting paranoid. Especially if there wasn't a threat.<p>

So he barely said goodnight to Heco when he dropped him off. He just nodded and pulled away, breaking the speed limit as he directed the Mustang towards his apartment. Then, in a moment of impulse, he ripped out his phone and scrolled through his contacts.

**Calling H**

The phone rang and rang until it clicked into voicemail. Billy growled and redialed, swearing under his breath as he listened to the shrill sound ring over and over. Then, yet again, he was met with a generic recording. Frustration mixed with his previous anger and he tore the steering wheel to the right.

He was getting some answers tonight. And he knew where to start.

His scream was loud and piercing until she clapped a hand over his mouth. Smiling, she cooed over him like a loving mother, stroking his face with a palm as he sobbed.

"Now now, none of that, Fernando." His eyes wrinkled as he continued to cry, his fingers writhing from above his head. Helen glanced at his palms and tisked. Her knife was deeply embedded in his hands, impaling both to the floor. "This will go a lot faster if you do as I say, ok?" Foolishly, his face relaxed slightly and his eyes reflected a glimmer of hope. "No more yellin'. Understand?" His head bobbed on the floor desperately and Helen slowly lifted her hand from his mouth.

"I'll give you anything, just don't kill me." She couldn't help but laugh at the words. His first chance and that was what he'd chosen to say. Rising slowly from her straddled position, Helen walked to the bar and leant on the smooth finish.

"What I want is important, Fernando. It'll cost ya." Her hand slipped into the first drawer and her fingers felt around inside.

"Anything. I promise." She laughed as she withdrew a stainless steel ice pick.

"That's a big promise." His legs thrashed on the floor, but the movement would stir his hands and force more whimpers from his mouth. Helen played with the sharp pick in her hand and scraped her heels across the floor to his side. "Start talkin'."

* * *

><p>The street was black again, the front light off and casting the porch into the dark. Billy moved quickly from the Mustang to the door and made quick work of the knob. It wasn't any trouble; he'd picked several locks, starting when he was a kid. When the door was free, he slipped inside without a sound and closed it, pulling his gun from the back of his jeans.<p>

The room was pitch-black and it made the layout impossible to guess. Gritting his teeth, he slowly edged a foot forward, hoping that he'd miss anything large. It was that or charge right into something and alert the entire house to his presence. So he progressed at a snail's pace, gun at his side.

A groan filled his ears and Billy froze, trying to tell where it had originated. It was extended and long, but muted by distance. And when the sound didn't repeat itself, he sighed softly from his nose. He was being stupid. There he was, in a stranger's house, alone, in the middle of the night, and blind. Bodie would be pissed at him for going without him; they always worked as a team. And this was just a bad idea.

But the solo mission reminded him of his start. Working alone had been part of his rise to greatness. He'd run dope, made exchanges, and taken out a few of the competitors. All on his own. Bodie only became a part of the gang after Billy had won the reputation he needed to start one. Up until that time, he'd done his own dirty work. Alone.

A tapping sound started above his head. Shoes on a wooden floor. Billy stared up at the ceiling and listened as the movements trailed around, almost in circles. Giving up on stealth, he whipped out his phone and shone the light in the darkness. When the soft glow landed on stairs, he grinned and advanced quietly, taking them two by two.

* * *

><p>His thighs were paler than she'd expected. For a Hispanic man, they were remarkably white, contrasting to the tan forearms and chest above his waist. Did he ever take off his jeans? Helen shook her head as she stared at him. Fernando was silent and still, a perfect little prisoner. But then again, dead people were pretty easy to control.<p>

"Shit." She hissed, suddenly realizing the pool of blood around his body was starting to spread, finding the toe of her right shoe. Taking a quick step back, she scraped the sole to the floor and tisked herself. They weren't even hers. Then her eyes found his legs again, drawn to the ghostly glow of the bare skin.

The jagged slash in Fernando's thigh was a brilliant red. Helen wondered if that was what her leg had looked like. Had the pick gone as deep into the muscle? Had it shot pain up his back until his skull threatened to break?

Why she'd killed him so quickly, she couldn't really say. Maybe it was just easier. As she'd stared down at him, his trembling lips and whispered Spanish, it had taken her right back to that night. That night on a nameless street. When she'd felt her life slipping through her fingers onto the cement. Helen dropped the ice pick onto the floor and took a slow breath. Her hands were steady and her mind was quiet. Remembering that night wasn't a nightmare or a fear. It was a lesson.

Strike before you're struck.

The floor moaned and she froze like an animal, listening. The house had been empty; she'd made fairly certain of that before arriving. But the sound hadn't been her imagination. And Fernando definitely wasn't the source. Helen slipped the stilettos off her feet quickly, setting them silently to the floor. Better safe than sorry, paranoid of what goes bump in the night instead of running for cover. When her feet were free, she tiptoed in a flash to the wall, pressing her back to it.

It's a wonder she heard anything out in that hall, her heartbeat was so loud it drowned out the bugs chirping outside. But her instincts told her she wasn't the only person listening. Like a nocturnal creature, she lay in wait, using her ears to guide her actions. Animals could sense danger. Whether it was visible or audible didn't matter. They just knew. And Helen waited, poised to strike. Her knife, freshly tugged from Fernando's palms, was open once again in her hand. And she paused for the cue. The moment.

A breath.

* * *

><p>Billy inhaled.<p>

The body on the floor caught him off guard. But the confusion was momentary, because a second later he found himself face to face with a moving figure. Slashing with his gun, he swung at the silhouette's head, missing as it ducked to the side. He stepped into the room, clicked back the hammer, and aimed.

A small prick of pain halted the squeeze of his trigger finger. Below the ribs on his right side. It was just enough of a poke to tell him a knife rested there, to his chest, ready to impale the skin.

"Darley?" If he wasn't frowning before, he was now. The muscles in his forehead hurt from the tension between his brows. She tilted her head and the light from a window illuminated her face. Just enough.

"Hell." He breathed, releasing the building strain in his lungs. The tip of her knife vanished and she stepped back, rolling her eyes as he lowered his gun. She moved away and the moon lit more of her appearance.

"Are you wearin' a skirt?" Billy said, raising an eyebrow. It was a sight he'd never planned on seeing again. Once was a miracle, but twice? He buzzed when he remembered the last time she'd worn something so revealing. What he'd done to her, what he'd asked from her.

Her smooth skin looked like cream in the light, and he was seeing a lot of it. All over. From her bare feet to her thighs, from her fingers to the breasts nestled in a black pushup bra. The anticipation of creeping in the dark had made his blood hum, but now he was aflame for another reason.

"No. You high?" She snorted. A streak of playful banter warmed her voice. She was toying with him again. The dangerous gleam in her eyes had returned, pushing him to crave what she'd denied him previously. Her.

* * *

><p>Helen watched Billy eye her body, drink in the skimpy material that hung on her frame. He'd seen it all before, but he looked ravenous. It was enough to get her blood pumping. Her frustration with him vanished momentarily and all she could think of was his mouth on her neck, her breasts, and much lower. The adrenaline of her fresh kill filled her with lust, flushing her cheeks and the spot between her legs. Her feelings about him, the warnings from her mind, gave way to arousal and thrill.<p>

"And black hair?" He broke into her thoughts momentarily, stepping closer as he purred. Running a hand through the short strands, she nodded. Black had been her favorite hair color. It was the one that instilled the most strength. She felt powerful with it. So she'd dyed her hair to match her renewed conviction.

"Yeah." The response came out deeper than she'd intended, throaty. But Billy grinned and came closer, slowly cornering her against a wall.

"He dead?" Billy whispered, nodding at the body behind him. His lips looked delicious in the moonlight. She could see how the bottom lip was slightly pouty, sticking out from the top. And Helen remembered his taste.

"Yup."

"I could have shot ya." His chest hummed with the deep bass and Helen felt a shiver roll down her spine.

"You would have missed." She responded, eyeing his mouth as it drifted closer. And closer.


	14. Chapter 14

**As promised. These two were long overdue. ;)**

* * *

><p>As Billy lunged for her mouth, Helen grabbed his collar and pulled him against her. Their weapons fell to the floor, discarded without a second thought. The house was gone, the body in the room disappeared. It was just the two of them.<p>

He ripped open his fly and she tugged down on the denim, partially freeing the hard dick beneath his boxers. As Helen slid his underwear down his legs, Billy was pushing up her skirt, tearing at the panties underneath. His fingers grazed the warmth growing between her thighs. And it forced him to stifle a moan. Not only was he getting Helen again, but she'd been wet for him. Judging by the extent of the moisture on the fabric, he guessed she'd wanted this from the moment he walked into the room. Same as he.

The black panties fell to the floor and she stepped from them, slowing suddenly to stand in front of him. They were both exposed, aching. And just like before, they moved in unison. Billy lifted Helen from the floor and she took his shaft in hand as he pinned her to the wall. The heat of her waiting gap pressed to his head and both trembled with need. With a thrust of his hips, he was inside her, stretching and filling the velvet opening with rock hard arousal.

"Fuck." Helen swore and gripped his ass with her ankles, clawing at his neck. But Billy only panted and drove forward, bracing himself with a hand on the wall. No other woman made him this way. The chemistry and fit made him animalistic, mindless. His boots scuffled on the floor as he fought to stand, hammering his hips against her. They were rough by default, powerful and demanding. And Billy wasn't worried about her as he plunged his cock with fast, harsh curls of his spine. He could hear her butt meeting the wall, soft skin slapping the hard surface. But even then, Helen wanted more.

Lashing out with her teeth, she caught his bottom lip and bit it, snaking her tongue into his mouth. "Come on, Darley." She muttered. With a snarl, Billy lowered his head and dug his fingers into her thighs, plowing with every inch he had. The strength of his body made her wish he were naked, so she could see the taunt torso against her. Her breaths turned to moans and she let her head fall back against the wall. The exposed, tender flesh of her neck proved too tempting and Billy bit it, leaving harsh red marks as he did. And he didn't hold back. Helen let out a long hum as he continued and her hand found his face. Pushing his mouth away, she fought him from her throat. And as she expected, he snapped at her fingers, rabid like a beast. She laughed deeply and brushed her tongue over his bottom lip.

"Billy." Helen breathed. Letting out a loud growl, he hiked her higher on the wall and pressed his chest to hers. They shook, climbing to climax with furious abandon. Using one hand, Billy took a fistful of her black hair and tugged, consuming her mouth with bruising kisses. In the darkness, they panted in harmony, slamming into the drywall until pieces started to sprinkle the floor. Helen's hands snaked around his back, under his jacket, and locked on his waist, scratching and pushing him further between her legs. As the high grew, she gripped his ass and her jaw fell open, all sound and speech rendered useless. Billy braced his chin on her shoulder and thrust wildly until his growls rose to loud groans.

Then for a split second they were both silent.

"Oh fuck." Helen whimpered into his neck, convulsing with delicious waves of bliss. As she trembled, Billy roared, baring his teeth and clenching his eyes shut.

And the world seemed to stop while they came, burning bodies pressed together. The surging pleasure flooding them and receding, cooling as time passed. The air hung around them, heavy with heat as they slowly returned to earth.

"Holy shit." Billy murmured, forehead setting against wall. With a laugh, Helen rested her temple to his, gulping for air.

"Yeah." She panted. He turned his head to look at her and she met his gaze, grinning. Heartbeats pulsed in their limbs, steadily easing in pace. "You're bleeding." She murmured. Probing his face with his fingers, Billy found the warm liquid oozing from his lip. He raised a brow at Helen and she chuckled devilishly.

"You too." He replied, pointing to her forehead with a puzzled frown. She wiped a palm over the spot then shook her head.

"Nah. It's his." She used her eyes to motion to the body in the middle of the room. Suddenly it was quiet, thick with the unspoken.

Billy lowered Helen to the floor and she replaced her skirt while he pulled his jeans up his legs. They'd been so quick to take each other; they hadn't even covered the basics of the situation.

"Did he tell you anything?" He asked. With a shrug, she ran her fingers through her hair.

"Didn't ask."

"What the fuck do ya mean?" Billy hissed. Stepping into her panties, she sighed and bent over to slide them up her legs.

"I mean, I was here less than five minutes and I knew everything about the guy." She huffed as she snapped the waistband of the underwear in place. "His pin number, his safe combination, how much coke was in his house." Billy glared at her and Helen put her hands on her hips. "The idiot didn't shut up until he was dead. He didn't know where the Russians are."

"You didn't know that, Hell." Billy growled.

"Yeah, and what do you know?" She advanced on him, frowning into his angry stare. "You've been sittin' on your ass for over a week, you should be the expert." He raised a hand and shoved a finger in her face.

"I did as we agreed. You're the one who—" Billy grit his teeth and hissed a breath before continuing. "Fucks everything up!" Slapping his finger away, Helen huffed.

"I got to the point! I'm tired of waiting around! I need to get shit done." He stepped closer and she pivoted, stepping from between him and the wall. But Billy moved again until he was inches from her face.

"You call this gettin' shit done?" With a sweep of his hand, Billy gestured to the body. "Fuckin' made a mess and found out fuckin' nothing. Now what, Hell?"

"I find someone else, then someone else, until I get what I need." She shrugged her shoulders as she replied, unmoved by his snarling.

"So you leave a trail of bodies? Goddamn brilliant." He growled. "Why didn't I think of that?" Helen shoved his chest, causing him to rock onto the heels of his boots.

"You afraid of a little blood, Darley?" She taunted with a hiss and his eyes blazed with anger. "You're more like your old man than I thought." Billy bared his teeth and shot forward. But Helen didn't move, meeting him head on with a set jaw.

"The fuck you say?" He growled. Blinking solidly, she didn't answer for a while, letting him loom and furiously snort breaths from his nose.

"I don't need you anymore." She finally muttered. "I'll handle it." Then she stepped around him, scooping up her knife as she took long strides to the door. Billy advanced.

"Bullshit!" He bellowed. Before he'd caught her, she whirled and crouched to the floor, hand covering his discarded gun. As she slowly stood, he moved closer, flexing his jaw.

"Don't follow me." She murmured. Her expression was oddly calm, almost vulnerable as he neared. He knew she could shoot him, but she wouldn't; yet he didn't press his luck. Taking the gun away would be a piece of cake. But he didn't try, opting to speak again in a low voice.

"I'm not done." The Russian's had invaded his home, threatened his territory. But this was about far more than turf. Everyone was threatened by the newcomers, and Billy needed Helen, the Hall, to keep the balance. Shaking her head, she looked him in the eye.

"Fine." She whispered. If he hadn't been so close, he wouldn't have seen the resolve on her face. "You wanna find 'em, do it your way, Billy."

Her last words stunned him and his face slackened. As they stared, he lowered his shoulders and leaned back. Then, in the blink of an eye, she pressed the magazine release on the butt of the gun, letting the clip fall to the floor before she yanked on the slide, popping the last bullet from the chamber. Gently, she held the gun out in front of her and Billy took it. He wanted to argue, but he wasn't going to ask for anything from Helen Gates. They weren't friends, after all.

"We're done." She whispered with a ghost of air, stepping backwards into the doorway. And Billy let her leave. Listened to her footsteps retreat down the stairs. Only then did he pick up his clip and pocket the single round left on the floor.

As he walked to his car, he worked through the night in his mind. Something was off. He didn't have to hide from Bones, didn't have to worry about anyone but his men; he could let the Hall get themselves killed. He should be happy. But, instead, he felt like crap when he climbed into his car.

* * *

><p>"<em>How much you get off 'em?" Billy asked the question with a nod as Bodie approached, hands shoved in his pockets. His friend made a face and glanced around the open lot in the back of their school.<em>

_Technically it was called a "playground". But two, barely-standing basketball hoops and faded hopscotch lines didn't offer much entertainment for a group of ten-year-olds. The fifth graders of Crandle Elementary mostly wandered around the asphalt clearing, talking and horsing around in the sun. _

_Billy and Bodie, however, used the time to "collect". The idea was started when Billy rode along with his father on a buy. It had been a last resort by Bones, leaving his son in the backseat while he traded a trunk of guns for a bag of cash. But the event had stuck with the boy and he'd reinvented its use for himself. _

"_I got three bucks from Carl, and a buck fifty from Peter." Billy counted the collection of quarters as Bodie fished them from his pockets. They bullied smaller boys for money in exchange for their…friendship. The other kids steered clear of you if you claimed Billy Darley as your friend. His father's reputation in the town had been impressed on all children since they could grasp the concept. And Billy was therefore avoided. He hadn't hurt anyone; most of his trips to the principle resulted from behavior and language. But everyone knew he was a ticking bomb. In no time, he'd meet his destiny and those against the Darleys would fall in the crosshairs. _

"_What about Brian?" Billy asked, squinting up into Bodie's eyes. At ten, Bodie stood a good foot taller than his friend, long and lanky in comparison to boys his age. The height proved useful, intimidating classmates without much effort. _

"_He packed his lunch. Didn't have any dough." Bodie murmured quietly. Billy sighed and divided the money between them, tucking his share into his pocket. _

"_Barely enough to buy a pack from Lester." He muttered, walking away slowly. As they started to walk a perimeter around the playground, Bodie crossed his arms. _

"_Dude, why don't we ask Josh? Lester takes too much and he's an ass." Billy shrugged. _

"_Bones doesn't like Josh. Says he's a retard. I don't wanna pay a retard to buy me smokes." Bodie nodded and glanced around nervously as they continued to wander. _

"_How many we got left?" _

"_Four." Billy kept his voice low. When you're ten, cigarettes are big business. It was their only distraction from the hours they spent crammed in a classroom. It made them feel as dangerous as their reputations said they were. "Should last us two more days." He added. They neared the side of the school and Billy stopped to lean on the brick, cooled in the shadow of the building. _

_The fifth graders were scattered around the lot, several groups sitting in what little shade they could find. But a small cluster had formed around a basketball hoop, smack dab in the middle of the blazing sun. Billy frowned with concentration as he watched. A few of the figures were familiar, one of which being Brian. That in itself warranted further inspection and the two boys approached the group, arms crossed in their tough stances. When they were within a few yards, Billy recognized another figure. _

_A girl. She was in baggy, carpenter jeans and a band t-shirt that hung off her body. A mass of long, messy, brown hair was thrown into a ponytail that sat off-center on the back of her head. As she tossed a pair of cards to the ground, she swept a section of loose hair from her face. _

"_And I'm out." Helen said with a smirk. "Go fish you idiots." The circle of boys let out a collective groan and she laughed rubbing her hands together. _

"_Hand it over suckers." First was a skinny boy with a bowl cut. He rooted in his lunch box and withdrew a pudding cup, placing it in Helen's outstretched hand. A second boy did the same with a crumpled dollar, another a juice box. Then Brian took out his sack lunch, revealing each item. A peanut butter sandwich, water bottle, carrots, and a smashed twinkie. Helen shook her head. "You owe me tomorrow, Brian." _

"_Oh yeah?" Billy let his shadow stretch over her head. As she peered up at him, he sneered. "Since when you not eat twinkies, huh?" Bodie giggled but Helen shot to her feet, meeting Billy nose to nose. They were even in that field. _

"_Since your stink walked over here and ruined my appetite." She hissed back. _

"_You're the one that stinks. Like an old, dirty sock." Billy snapped._

"_At least I don't smell like stupid boy." Helen crossed her arms with a smirk. The rest of the group had fallen silent, watching as they squared off. It wasn't news that they didn't like each other. Helen and Billy were what teachers dubbed "mean spirited" and they clashed when together. So they'd been kept apart purposefully since kindergarten. _

"_Well ya sure look like one." Billy spit back. "You been stealin' my clothes, Helephant?" She clenched a fist and Billy lowered his arms with a grin. As she reached back, a hand caught her wrist and the group scattered, all except for Billy and Helen. _

"_Helen Gates! Principle's office!" A tall woman with graying hair loomed over them, wrenching Helen towards the school by her arm. Billy snorted and waved as he watched._

"_Bye bye, Helephant." Gritting her teeth, Helen pulled and unleashed a scream across the lot. _

"_SCREW YOU BILLY DARLEY!" _

* * *

><p>When he'd disappeared into the dark, Helen let herself lean against the house. Vanishing into thin air usually meant hiding in plain sight. But he hadn't even tried looking up and down the street; he'd just swooped into his car and roared the Mustang to life, taking off without a moment's pause. It was childish, but she'd wanted to see him glance into the darkness for her. Wanted him to try and chase her. Her words, however, seemed to have done their job. Billy was gone; their allegiance was broken.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>I never make it easy, do I? More soon. Love you all. Love me back? =)<strong>


	15. Chapter 15

**This one's really speaking to me. LOVE to my readers. Hope you enjoy. =) **

* * *

><p>The moment she opened the door, she smelled the hardwood floors and rich finish. The afternoon sun vanished inside the restaurant, underneath the comforting darkness of old wooden walls. Danny paused in the doorway, letting her eyes adjust to the room before she stepped inside.<p>

"Welcome to Union Oyster House. Table for…" The hostess gave her a smile, but the expression wavered as she neared the fatal question. Danny grinned and pointed.

"My father's already seated." Instantly the girl was back to smiling from ear to ear. She scooped up a menu and led her to a booth. The whole way she babbled pleasantries, but Danny wasn't listening. Her mind was focused on her pulse, her hair. She hadn't seen her father since he'd fired her months ago and she'd polished this look to perfection.

That morning she'd picked out pressed, grey slacks and a white blouse. While she'd originally put her hair up in a bun, in the parking lot she'd tore the bobby pins out, letting the wavy red locks fall down her back. Her black flats didn't clomp on the floor like the waitress' heels, so she felt like a ghost as she followed through the restaurant. Arriving at the booth made her heart stop and Danny forced a close-lipped smile, sliding down into her seat opposite her father.

His green eyes scanned her clothes and face, resting only when Danny looked away, accepting a menu from the hostess.

"Enjoy." She said politely, clomping away with a smile. Greg Reynolds didn't speak for a while and Danny felt tears start in her eyes. Tears of fear and estrangement. She loved her father, but he'd grown so far from her. It wasn't just because Joey; it had started long before him. After her mother's death, her father's growing businesses…money became his distraction from residual pain. By burying himself in his work, he'd pushed Danny away.

"You look nice." He finally murmured, managing a small lift in the corners of his mouth. Danny bowed her head in reply, pressing a finger into the duct of her eye. With a quick swipe, she did away with the tears and inhaled through her nose, returning his weak smile with one of her own. Not only was she nervous, she was sad. Sitting across from her father, she felt like a stranger. A few years prior, she could remember sitting only a few booths over, laughing and resting her head on his shoulder while the waiters sang for her mother.

"Thanks." Her voice was a wheeze, whining from her throat. Greg sighed and leaned back against the seat, hands in fists on the table.

"Very grown up." He murmured. His smile looked less strained and more thoughtful, speaking volumes more than his words did. Danny opened her lips into a brighter grin, glancing down at the table as she took the compliment. "I didn't think it would take this long to hear from you." Greg added. Suddenly the tone of the conversation shifted and they both grew still.

"I didn't know what to say." She finally managed, reaching her fingers onto the tabletop to retrieve the napkin folded there. As she laid it on her lap, she realized how long it had been since she'd eaten with a cloth napkin. Her father watched her and took a sip of his coffee.

"Sorry would have sufficed." He answered, clicking the cup down on the saucer. Her cheeks buzzed with heat, defensive anger kindling from within.

"I'm not sorry, Dad. I met someone. I'm an adult, I made a decision." Hands shaking on her lap, she fought to maintain the composure she'd been raised with. She thought of her mother. Tall, beautiful, graceful and kind. Greg had always called himself a lucky man when it came to Cynthia Reynolds. She'd been his rock, his relief. And it'd broken his heart to lose her.

"You are only eighteen, Danielle. Still a child in many ways." He was staring at her, expecting her to fold. Who knows? Several months earlier, she might have. But another had reinforced her fiery spirit. Joey Darley. The man she'd fallen for in a matter of days.

"I stopped being a child the moment you stopped being a parent." The words came out quietly, almost out of respect. But the look in her eyes wasn't mistaken for weakness. "I love you, Dad. But you left me to run my own life after Mom died. Sixteen years old and I was practically living alone in that huge house, driving myself to practice and school, making my own meals…" She stopped and took a drink of water, bracing herself as a waiter approached the table.

"Can I get you anything else to drink, or are you two ready to order?" He asked politely, smiling as he refilled Greg's coffee cup. Without a glance to his daughter, Greg nodded and handed his menu over.

"Union Caesar with the Grilled Salmon." Danny swallowed and thought through the menu in a flash. Her family had been going to the restaurant since she could remember. In the heart of downtown Boston, it sat across the street from City Hall, the center of the world. The waiter turned to her and Danny flashed him a small smile.

"Cup of the clam chowder, please." She said softly, handing him the menu. As he nodded and walked away, her father stared her down.

"You always get the chicken." He murmured. Taking another sip of her water, Danny swallowed and took a breath.

"I don't have an appetite. Not right now anyway." Her stomach protested silently under her shirt. She hadn't been able to eat since she'd gotten the phone call from her father. He'd set the lunch date up so quickly; she'd been unable to dodge him. And suddenly nothing could quell the butterflies in her stomach. Not even the several hugs she'd squeezed out of the half conscious man in her bed. Now the smell of food wasn't doing her empty stomach any favors.

"Danielle." Greg said her name like a sigh. Then his eyes softened. "I want to give you your job back." She played with her nails under the table.

"I have a new job." Before he could reply, she added more. "And I'm moving out of the apartment. Joey and I are going to live together." Greg's mouth hung open, his unspoken words hanging in the air.

"What?" He managed the hissed reply after glaring at her for several moments, trying to decipher her face. "Why do you need to move? I'm trying to mend bridges here Dan—"

"To be closer to his brother." She spit out, reaching for the water like a security blanket. It was a lie; Billy would rather her turn to ash than become a part of his life. But Stokely was important to Joey; it was his home. Having him drive all over the city was pointless now that she worked where he played. "I work close to where his brother lives, so we're looking for a place." She gulped down the cold water, praying the diners around them would spare her any embarrassment. Greg clenched his hands on the table, processing the information.

"No." He muttered. Danny took a deep breath and squirmed, glancing around the room.

"It's not a debate, father. This is happening."

"Danielle, this is foolish!" His voice rose and a few people cast looks in their direction.

"What's foolish is you pushing me further away by not listening to me." Greg sat silent while Danny clenched her jaw, trying to find her calm resolve. "I'm just moving. I'm not disappearing." Her father watched from his seat, searching her face for a clue to her undoing. To tear down the young love that looked naïve in his eyes.

"I understand that we haven't been close for a while." He looked unmoved as he confessed. "I know you must feel alone. I didn't offer much companionship after your mother…" Greg wavered for a moment, taking a small breath to steady his voice. "But I don't want you running into some boy's arms because of me. Come home." Danny reached over the table and touched one of his hands.

"Dad. I have a home." She brushed her fingers over his and he grasped them, holding her hand with a sense of desperation. "His name is Joe Darley. No matter where I'd go, I wouldn't feel right without him." Then she sat back, pulling her hand away. "You know better than anyone what that's like." Greg met her eyes and his sadness finally shone through. Almost three years since her mother's death and this was the first time he'd been able to reveal his deepest despair.

"I can't lose you too, Danny." He whispered, his eyes glazing with moisture. It struck her; the red-faced, burly, intimidating man that sat before her, finally succumbing to his heart. She took both his hands across the table, wishing for the first time to be alone with her father.

"You never will, Daddy."

* * *

><p>The sun felt good, warming his skin as he rose from the car. Joey took a drag and slammed his door, striding from the parking lot. The morning chill was almost gone and his black wifebeater soaked in the rays. Throwing open the lobby doors, he crossed the tiled room with a few steps. Danny had left for the city over an hour ago and that left him alone for the afternoon.<p>

They'd been making up for lost time, spending every night together for the past six days. And Billy hadn't said a word. For some reason, his brother had been very detached, which wasn't like him. Now that it was day seven, Joey was officially investigating. Not that he wanted a babysitter, but a week without hearing from his brother was fishy.

The first thing he noticed was the unsettling quiet in the building. Usually, there was some kind of music playing or commotion thumping through the walls. But that wasn't the case that morning. Joey's frown deepened as he climbed the stairs to the third floor and turned the corner into the hall. Just like downstairs, it was silent, eerily so.

Pulling his keys from his pocket, Joey sucked on the end of his cigarette, unlocking Billy's door with a slight feeling of panic. He was confident that his brother could handle himself, but with recent events, he was nervous nonetheless. Not only was Billy worried about a new threat in the city, but he had pushed Joey away to protect them both from their own father.

When the key wouldn't turn he growled and shook the knob, swearing with a hiss of smoke. Then it gave way, and revealed the scene inside.

At first, Joey's heart stopped. Bodies, all over the apartment. He froze and blinked, lowering the cigarette from his lips as he surveyed the room. A woman moaned and the sea of flesh shuffled slightly. And a grin spread on his face.

Apparently the silence was the result of a massive party. No one was making noise because there probably wasn't a conscious person in the building. Baggy was sprawled on the floor, only in jeans, a bottle of Jameson in one hand and a girl's thigh grasped in the other. The woman was face up, naked, with her legs encircling his waist. Joey snorted. It was only the beginning of the orgy aftermath. Heco was sleeping in a corner, sitting up, without a strip of clothing on his body. Thankfully, his girl Hailee had passed out in his lap, her face pressed between his jaw and shoulder.

Joey took a step and bumped into a dark lump. It moved, letting out small whines of protest until it had shifted from Joey's reach. He raised an eyebrow and leant down, lifting one corner of what appeared to be a blanket. Beneath were two women, topless and in each other's arms.

"Holy fuck." He laughed quietly to himself. The last time he'd seen a crowd like this was after Baggy had gotten out of the pen. Going away for a small possession charge, he'd returned from a six-month bid with a huge party. And it was a wonder they all hadn't ended up in jail that night.

"Bodie?" A woman whined from the hallway and Joey turned his head, grinning at the naked blonde standing there. She felt the wall and stumbled forward, one heel missing from her feet. "Bodie?" Her calls were delirious but directed in his direction, so Joey stood and shook his head.

"Sorry babe. I ain't Bodie." With a squeaky whine, the girl slumped to the floor. He stepped over random limbs, trying to avoid waking more of the hangover time bombs below. Many of the faces he didn't recognize, but then again, people seemed to just appear for Billy's parties. When he reached the blonde, she grabbed a handful of his jeans, causing him to prop his cigarette in his lips in order to hold up his pants.

"Woah, hands off sweetheart." He chuckled, taking her wrists and pulling her to a standing position. As soon as she was up, her arms circled his neck and she fell forward, almost taking him with her. Her mouth ended up on his chin, knocking his smoke from his lips in the process. Holding her up with his arms, Joey grunted and stomped out the butt.

"Christ." He muttered. Swinging around, he dragged her into the nearest bedroom: his. After he kicked open the door, Joey let out a groan. "Fuck Bodie. Ya serious?" On his bed, the tall, black man was spread eagle, exposed for all to see. The girl lurched from Joey's arms and fell on top of the sleeping man who let out a loud grunt.

"You ass." Joey hissed, eyeing the mattress and disheveled sheets. Bodie barely lifted an eyelid before rolling over and curling an arm around the blonde's waist. "You're buyin' me a new bed." The younger man muttered, backing from the room as snores sounded from the couple.

Glancing back into the living room, Joey could see through to the kitchen. From his spot in the hall, he could make out Tommy's face, right cheek pressed to the tile floor. With a small snort, Joey shook his head and walked a few steps further, arriving at the epicenter of the storm: Billy's room. Before he'd turned the knob, Joey was grinning.

It was incredible how many bodies fit on a King-sized bed. From the doorway, Joey tried to count, but he gave up trying to untangle the mess of limbs with his eyes. Stepping inside, he searched for his brother, ignoring the smooth, delicate skin of the women heaped atop the mattress. It was a jumble of breasts, legs, and tossed hair. And Joey couldn't find anything that belonged to Billy.

"Hot huh?" Joey whirled to face the hallway, shocked by his brother's voice appearing behind him. Billy stood in the frame, elbows braced at shoulder height on either side. Unlike the rest of the men in the apartment, his brother was dressed in dark jeans and a grey t-shirt.

"I guess ya could call it that." Joey teased, motioning to the girls in Billy's bed. "Here I thought ya didn't let 'em sleep over." His brother slowly revealed a devilish smile, flashing his white teeth.

"Who said anythin' about sleepin'?" Then Billy lowered his arms, backing out into the hall. Joey followed and stuffed his hands in his jeans, stepping over bodies through the living room. In the kitchen, Billy opened the fridge and retrieved a bottle of water, tossing one casually to Joey once he appeared in the doorway.

"What are ya doin' here?" he asked, taking a swig with a solid stare. Joey scoffed and gestured to the hallway.

"Bill, I live here. Did ya forget?" His brother swallowed and suddenly the grin was gone.

"Did you?" Setting his unopened bottle on the counter, Joey crossed his arms.

"What does that mean?" Billy didn't move, blink, or breathe. He just stared, stripping Joey's defensive anger away in shreds. That was his ability as an older brother. He could disarm anything Joey said or did with one look. "Fuck Bill." Joey muttered, throwing his hands up to slap them on the cheap laminate. Tommy kicked from the kitchen doorway, grunting at the sudden sound.

"Ever since this…Russian thing, you've been keepin' me out of the loop. So I stayed out of the loop…" Joey shook his head, looking down to the floor while he fought to keep his voice low. "Sue me for stayin' with someone who actually wanted me around." He added, knowing exactly what to say to get a rise out of his brother. Billy snorted and set his water down. When Joey finally met Billy's eyes, he relaxed at the calm in them.

"Yeah, well….tell miss needy that ya aren't gonna be back for a while." A small grin spread on the older brother's face and Joey cocked a brow.

"Why?" Billy lurched from the counter and encircled his brother's head in an arm, smacking the top of his skull with a quick flick of his wrist. Joey shoved and squirmed, a smile growing on his face.

"Cuz ya big brother said so." Billy growled, clapping both hands on Joey's shoulders. "That's why." Then he walked away, stepping over Tommy to get into the living room.

"What about the Hall…the Russians?" Joey asked, confusion clouding his grin. Billy paused in the doorway, staring into the wall across the apartment.

"Fuck 'em." Then he glanced up at Joey and winked. "I always want ya 'round, Joe. Ya know that, right?" The younger man nodded, his chest filling with pride and happiness at the words. He lived for making Billy proud of him. With a quick nod, Billy looked back into the living room and reached into his back pocket for a cigarette. "Now help me get all these fuckin' idiots off my floor."

* * *

><p>"Take a left." Helen bobbed her right leg as she crossed it over her left. Sid turned the steering wheel calmly, black leather gloves twisting in the silence. The car hummed over the smooth road, the sun dulled by the cloud overhead. In the passenger seat, Kade played with his bangs, looking in the overhead mirror.<p>

"I'm hungry." He murmured, ducking down to examine his hair one last time before snapping the mirror up in its place. With a snort, Sid glanced at his brother.

"Shut up."

"It's fuckin' three o'clock. I'm hungry!" Kade protested again, glaring to his left.

"Ya think it's a good idea to go for food right now?" Helen asked, staring at them both in the rearview mirror. "Drivin' me crazy." She muttered, watching out the window as they wandered further from the city. The buzz of traffic thinned until it was nonexistent.

"Right." She murmured, wobbling in her seat as the car turned onto a rockier road. They were heading into the marshes, thick with mud and overgrown weeds. Sid glanced at her, his grey eyes studying the woman in the backseat. She was back to full blast. Four nights prior, she'd gone out and returned quiet, angry, and wearing half the clothes she'd left in. Sid had almost fallen off the couch when he saw the tiny skirt on her legs. Then she'd told him about Darley, the best news he'd ever heard. They were free from the truce, free to do things their way.

Helen's way.

And Helen's way was not pretty.

"Here." She finally said, reaching for the door before Sid had even come to a full stop. As the car rolled to a slow, her boot crunched the small rocks in the dirt as she stood. Her body swung with a sense of relaxation as she moved, kicking her feet over the gravel while she circled the car. Kade and Sid walked faster, meeting at the trunk from either side of the vehicle. They stopped and looked at Helen as she stared back at the city. In her fingers, a freshly lit cigarette smoldered, smoke lingering in front of her face from the tip. Taking a long drag, she seemed to memorize the view of the skyline. Then she glanced over her shoulder at the two men.

"Get 'im out." She murmured. A flash of a grin passed over Sid's lips as he unlocked the trunk. It had been a while since they'd played old school. Out in the open, the way they used to. Helen's edge was back and she was raging. But quietly.

Both men hauled a third from the trunk. He was bound by the wrists and ankles, squirming in a panic as the brother's wrestled him to his knees next to the car.

"You know the drill, by now." Helen closed in on the man, waving Kade and Sid away with a small gesture. Her victim was Hispanic, short, and built lanky, trembling in front of her. His hands were behind his back, leaving him exposed. "I'm sure you've seen the bodies." Her count was up to five, taking out the coke dealers one at a time. But Helen had no expression on her face as she neared. With a quick drag, she crouched to his height, looking him in the eye before ripping the duck tape from his mouth.

"You sold coke to the Russians. Don't bother lyin'." The man nodded emphatically.

"Yeah yeah. Rich white guys, nice cars 'n big watches. I'll tell ya everythin', just don't—" Helen grabbed his face, smashing his cheeks inward until his lips puckered.

"Where are they?" She hissed. With a quick shove, she threw his head to the side. He panted and looked at her with wide eyes.

"I swear senora, I don't know." Helen stared at him for a moment, letting the silence speed his heart. Sid and Kade simply stood, arms crossed as they watched. In a flash, she suddenly withdrew a knife from her back pocket and flicked it open with her wrist. The man whimpered and started rambling in Spanish as she slipped the blade under the neck of his shirt. The material gave way with a swift tug of the knife and Helen folded back the fabric, examining the 'B' tattooed on his left peck.

"Please! I swear. I swear I would tell you if I knew!" He was crying, pleading for his life while Helen remained stationary and blank. Looking between his wet eyes, she seemed to reach into his mind, into his soul. Then she stood and nodded to Sid.

"I believe you." She murmured. Sid walked around to the driver's seat and fished under the seat for a moment before returning. In his hand shone a gaudy .45 with an engraved handle. Helen took it and held it in front of her victim's face.

"Took this off your friend, uhh…what's his name?" Kade raised his head.

"Victor." She gestured over her shoulder at Kade without looking.

"Victor." Helen repeated. "He was nice enough to let me borrow it." A fake smile crossed her lips.

"I swear ta god senora, I will do anything but I don't know where they are." He was slobbering as he bawled, fear flushing his face and filling his eyes. Crouching down once again, Helen shook her head.

"I already said I believed ya." She clicked back the hammer on the gun and pressed it to his forehead. "Which is why I'm gonna kill ya fast." Before he could even process her words, she pulled the trigger.

It was a quick death. He merely jolted and fell to the side. A bang and a small thump. A man's life gone without any sort of the fanfare or spectacle expected. Helen stood and handed the gun to Kade. Then she took a drag. As she hissed the smoke into the air, Helen lifted the man's open shirt and ground her butt into his tattoo.


	16. Chapter 16

**Finally pulled myself together to get this written. Had this planned for a while... Enjoy. =)**

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><p>The march of the living dead. That's what the group looked like as they stumbled into the Four Roses. It was a couple of hours past noon when Billy ordered all of the men out of his apartment. And the only cure for their pounding heads was morning beers and a dark hole. Sammy grinned at his favorite customers, watching them moan and groan their way to the bar. They didn't even make it to their booth.<p>

"Beer." Bodie grunted, raising a finger to point at the line of men. Sammy nodded and ducked behind the bar, pulling out mugs with a smirk on his face.

"I see I missed a killer party." He chuckled, filling the frozen glasses. Billy shook his head and clapped Baggy and Heco on the backs, evoking flinches from both.

"Just some lightweights." He teased, flashing his smile to the bartender. Joey filed in last and jumped onto a stool.

"Wanna coke sweetheart?" Sammy asked. The men all chuckled, even through their headaches. Joey grinned and thumped his fists on the bar.

"If it's better than the horse piss ya got on tap." Billy laughed and shoved the back of his brother's head, tipping him slightly in his chair.

"Best whiskey for the smartass."

Glasses were filled and slowly the men started to recover, talking in low grumbles as they lit up and clouded the bar with smoke. There wasn't anyone else in the bar that day, so when Tiffany showed up for her shift, she leisurely refilled beers and sat with her brother. It was a calm morning, something that hadn't happened for them in a long time. It was mornings like these that Joey imagined would fill his adulthood. He saw himself growing old next to his brother on a barstool, letting the rest of the life fall to the wayside. The drugs, violence, hookers, it would all fade away. And these men, the ones sitting around him feasting on a breakfast of booze, would only have each other. But Joey knew he'd also have Danny. She'd be his girl, maybe the mother of his children. He grinned to himself thinking about that. Her flat stomach rounded and bulging with his baby. Glancing at his right, he watched Billy. It wasn't a secret that Billy would never have kids. His brother would only have him.

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><p>Billy lit a fresh smoke and noticed a newspaper on the counter. Sliding it down the wood, he flipped open the first page and read quietly. The stories were always the same, filling the headlines with the money and overlooking the larger truth, the majority that made up Boston. Bodie walked down the bar and leaned on the side, striking up a conversation with Billy for the first time that day. But before he had a chance, Billy set the paper down.<p>

"It's her." Billy muttered. Bodie frowned, his mouth half open with a forgotten thought.

"What?" Tossing the paper to his friend, Billy took a drag.

"That fire on A. The 'carjacker' hitting Southie…it's all her." Bodie read the small article briefly and glanced up.

"More Mexicans." Billy stared at the counter, rolling his cigarette in two fingertips.

"She's not gonna stop droppin' bodies until she's got an answer." He took a drag and sighed, giving his friend a solid stare. "If those punks haven't given 'em up now, they don't know shit." Bodie turned and propped both his elbows on the bar.

"She's gotta know that, so why's she wastin' her time?" Shaking his head, Billy glared into the wall behind the counter.

"A Mexican stuck her." Bodie whipped his head to the side and his eyes went wide.

"B Street?" He whispered, trying to keep the others from cluing into the conversation. Billy nodded.

"Some idiot the Russian's paid ta cut up one of her girls." Sucking slowly on his cigarette, Billy lapsed into silence, staring ahead but focusing on nothing. He hated thinking about their fight, because he had so much he wanted to say. So much he wished he could take back and rephrase. But pride told him he'd done the best thing for his men. It was his heart that didn't sit right. And that part of him held no standing, not with Helen.

He couldn't help, however, putting himself in her place. If he'd been attacked, B Street would lie in waste. But he'd forced her to wait and given her nothing in return. It only made sense that she would internalize until imploding into a full force rampage. A partnership was about mutual gain and he'd let her down. Not that he'd ever admit that aloud.

"She's fuckin' pissed." He muttered, pulling himself away from the thoughts battling in his mind. For now, he wasn't involved in the Russian problem. And that was fine with him.

"I can imagine." Bodie snorted. "She's a fuckin' bitch." The term drew Billy's gaze but he merely gave his friend a crooked grin.

"Yeah."

"Wait…" Joey leaned forward from where he'd been listening, frowning slightly at Bodie's side. "…you're just lettin' it go? After all that stuff about the Russian's bein' a threat to us too?" His voice was louder than the soft murmurs around them, and the men quieted to listen and watch. They all sat with questions on their faces. No one had dared question Billy's decision, but his brother had opened the door. Billy stood from his seat, grinding his butt into an ashtray.

"Ya got a problem with that?" He asked, addressing not only Joey but the rest of the crew. When no one spoke, he cracked his neck and plucked his beer from the counter. Downing the remaining half in one gulp, he brought it back down with a clunk, wiping the back of his hand over his mouth.

"That's what I thought." The men turned back to their drinks and Sammy turned up the TV behind the bar, stirring up the quiet. Bodie tapped Joey in the elbow with a knuckle.

"For someone who ain't in this gang, ya sure act like ya got a say." Shaking his head slowly, Joey rotated his glass on the countertop.

"May not be in the gang…" He glanced up, catching his brother's eye. "…but I'm family." Billy's face softened and he sat back in his stool. He lifted his new beer as Sammy whisked the empty away.

"Trust me, kid. Helen'll make a mess, probably get herself killed..." Taking a swig, he silently wished to be proven wrong. "…then we'll be there to clean up." Bodie grinned and nodded, clapping a hand on Joey's back before turning to face the bar.

"I'll drink ta that."

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><p>Pills are a boring business. Typical users were college kids, and it had taken a lot for Helen to get the locals hooked on her product. In her mind, she'd done them a favor. Heroine could exchange hands several times before ending up in a junkie's vein, and needles were an entirely different level of dangerous in themselves. Prescriptions were easy highs. No needles, no tracks, no contaminated product. As long as you didn't swallow six different kinds in one sitting, chances are you would live. And returning customers meant future cash.<p>

But today was a slow day. It was peak hours and barely two people had walked through her doors. Helen wasn't one for sitting idly, so she was chain-smoking away her general boredom, standing around the empty laundromat.

The main floor was cleared out except for the countertop that ran along half the wall in the back. Even the old payphone near the door had been ripped out when the owners left. But the place suited Helen's purpose, and it was cheap. No one had asked questions when it was snapped up with cash and remained uninhabited. No one said a word when her men would come and go during the day. Helen Gates owned this block. Helen Gates did what she wanted.

And right now, she wanted to leave. Sid kicked a small stone around on the floor, hands buried deep in his pockets. He normally stood guard alone, but Helen had grown bored of sitting in the office by herself. So the two leaned side by side in the hall, passing the time with conversation.

"He still bangin' her?" Helen asked, glancing at Sid as she dropped another butt to the floor.

"Yeah. Fuckin' moron." He answered, shaking his head. "Ya'd think after gettin' called out in fronta her brother, he'd stop stuffin' her. But not Kade." With a small grin, Helen nodded.

"She must be a good lay." Sid tilted his head back, thumping it on the drywall.

"Better fuckin' be fantastic for all the problems she'll end up causin'. That kid…" He barked a laugh and closed his eyes. "…He has one head, and it aint on his shoulders."

"Like you've never let your dick do the thinkin' for ya?" Helen teased. "You a saint O'Connor?" Biting his bottom lip, Sid opened his eyes then laughed.

"Nothing of the sort." He replied. "I was a madman first two years out. Fucked any pussy I could get my hands on." Helen snorted while Sid grinned at her. He'd only mentioned his prison stint a couple of times, and from what she knew he'd emerged a smarter criminal. So it took her by surprise that he'd say something to the contrary.

"Nearly got me killed." He added. Raising her brows, she stared at him, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"Now ya gotta tell the story." They both laughed and Sid stood off the wall, taking his hands from his pockets. She always liked hearing his stories. He didn't tell many, but when he did they were good. Coming from a family of bank robbers, she guessed he had plenty of epic memories.

"Wasn't a big thing really. Just stupid." Helen crossed her arms and Sid rolled his eyes. "Right all right." Clearing his throat, he collected his thoughts. "So I'm at a bar, I meet this chick, I take 'er back ta my place, we get to it. It's great." Helen chuckled at his grinning face, shaking her head. "So it's done. She leaves, I go back out, it's only like two, and I find this other chick. I end up hittin' that in the back alley and this guy comes outta nowhere. Catches me with my pants 'round my ankles—"

"Literally." Helen snorted. Sid tossed her a sarcastic smile.

"So this guy, turns out his girl was the first chick I'd taken home. He'd followed her to the bar and watched her leave with me. Then he sees me come back and he gets pissed. Waits til I'm hammered and half naked, fuckin' some chick in an alley, ta come and beat the piss outta me."

"Wow." Helen coughed out a laugh. "Ya make Kade look smart." Sid shook his head.

"Yeah well, I didn't do it on purpose. Kid's askin' for it, fuckin' a Darley girl." Helen grinned and nodded. She wondered what Sid would think of her recent episode with Billy. She prided herself on the fact that her right hand suspected nothing. Sure, the chemistry between the two leaders was obvious, but no one would guess that they'd hooked up. Not recently. And only a few people knew about the ancient incident from high school. If Sid ever found out, he'd be surprised for sure. But Helen wondered what else he would think. A stirring in her gut told her it would be nothing good.

The back door opened and a gust of autumn air chilled the hall. Sid turned around, expecting a customer, but relaxed when Neil stepped inside. Helen rolled her eyes and stood off the wall.

"Alright, what's the deal? This is the sixth time you've wandered in here." The blond avoided her eyes and shoved his hands deep in his jean pockets.

"Just bored is all." He muttered. Sid and Helen didn't remove their stares so he eventually sighed and shrugged. "Gianna asked me ta drive her home."

"She can't call a taxi?" Sid asked, cocking an eyebrow. But Helen was watching Neil's face, studying his expression and thinking.

"She's nervous 'bout this Russian shit, wants me ta—" Helen cut in.

"You screwin' one of my girls?" Instantly Neil's mouth snapped closed and his body stiffened in alarm. Sid crossed his arms and glared.

"You're doin' what?" His voice was angry and loud, harshly hitting the walls. Neil held out his hands in an apologetic gesture.

"It ain't like that. We're just—"

"You like her." Helen filled in the lines like she was reading from a script. Her tone was softer than Sid's so Neil looked to her with a plead in his eyes, hoping he'd find mercy.

"Yeah." He muttered. Sid glanced at Helen, taking her lead as she stepped forward.

"You together?" Neil swallowed and stuttered for a moment and Helen silenced him with a raised hand. "It's easy. Are you together?" Gianna was one of her newest girls, but she'd been sweet and was one of the few that didn't bug the shit out of Helen. And judging by the way Neil's face was flushing, Helen figured the girl had truly gotten to him.

"Yeah." He finally murmured, shrugging to himself. Helen closed in on him in a couple of strides.

"That gonna be a problem for me?" She asked. Sid shifted behind her and she knew he was answering in his own way. It was a bad idea for hookers to get involved in relationships. It almost always ended up causing more trouble than it was worth, and Sid would be forced to solve the situation. But Helen had felt a strange feeling of charity when Neil had admitted his feelings for Gianna. Maybe it was the counterpoint to her recent excess of violence. Or maybe she felt like granting a gift that she'd never receive. With a quick blink, she did away with the last thought, chalking up her sensitivity to hormones. Nothing else.

"No. Never." Neil promised, shaking his head adamantly as Helen stared into his eyes. When she found nothing in his face to make her doubt, she gave him a crooked smile.

"Go pick up your girl." Looking over her shoulder at Sid, she motioned him forward with a nod. "Let get outta here. I'm fuckin' bored." The three left the laundromat in a line, Helen leading the two men out into the afternoon. The back lot was small but long, running along the strip for a solid block. Only two cars were parked on their side of the alley and Helen strode towards the dark grey Hemi Cuda nestled under a light pole. Neil's black 1996 Jeep Cherokee was a few spaces over and he jogged to it, wrestling his keys from his pocket.

"Ya know that's a bad idea, right?" Sid whispered into Helen's ear. She grinned and shrugged.

"Won't be my problem when it goes south." She flashed a smile to him and was met with a flat brow and a deep sigh.

"Thanks." Helen shoved his shoulder lightly and Sid circled the car to the driver's side.

"Oh shut up. Ya might be surprised." With a snort, he unlocked the car.

"Nothing surprises me, Hell. Not anymore."

The shattering sound of splintering metal exploded in their ears and Helen felt her laugh die in her lungs. Before she could register what had happened, a yell pierced the air and her body reacted, launching her inside the open car door.

"HELEN!" Sid was standing on the other side of the Plymouth, ducking behind the body of the car with his gun drawn. Everything moved slowly, his mouth forming words at a sluggish pace while the sound groaned from his lips. And for a moment she didn't understand him. Her mind was flying. Gunshots. They were everywhere, pinging off the car and jolting the interior with each impact. The scream. Rolling over onto her stomach, she clawed her way to the door and wrenched her gun from the back of her jeans. With a quick bob of her head, she glanced out the window.

"GET DOWN!" Sid was screaming for her, painfully ringing in her ears along with the bullets plugging her door. But she didn't listen, focused instead on the black sedan that was sitting in the mouth of the alley. It was the only exit and the car was blocking it completely, the flashes of gunfire visible from the tinted windows. Only a few feet from his Jeep, Neil was sprawled on his side, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth as he tried to crawl closer to cover.

"Fuck." She whispered to herself. Then the decision was made. Throwing her body weight forward, she leapt from the car and rolled, landing on her back.

"HELEN!" Sid's voice grew but she ignored it, rising swiftly onto her knees. Neil's face was crumpled in pain and she felt a ripple of pity. It wasn't long ago that she'd been the one lying helpless. And she wasn't about to leave him exposed. Moving like lightning, she was on her feet, ducking as she ran to his side. The bullets whizzing by her head sounded like whispers and it could stop a weaker person in their tracks, freeze them in fear. But she didn't stop, sinking her fingers into Neil's canvas jacket and dragging him towards the front of his car, effectively blocking the path of incoming fire. He grabbed onto her forearms, gasping in agony and coughing blood onto his lips.

"Take it easy, Neil." She murmured, releasing him when they were clear. The gunfire stopped abruptly and Helen snarled. Standing, she raised her gun towards the alley and stepped out from behind the Jeep. Sid appeared at her side and they unloaded their clips at the black car, puncturing the gleaming hood and shattering the windshield as they slowly advanced. But it quickly retreated, tires squealing in reverse as it tore from the alleyway. Helen didn't care, she squeezed the trigger on her gun until it gave a series of small clicks, the magazine empty.

"You good?" Sid asked. Only then did she lower the gun and hiss her breath through her teeth.

"Yeah." She growled. Then Sid let out a low groan and Helen whirled. His hand was pressed to his shoulder, dark red oozing between his fingers. "Oh shit." She whispered, moving to his side and gently lifting his palm from the wound.

"It's not bad." He murmured, hissing at the hole in his shoulder. Neil. They both seemed to remember him in the same moment, darting back across the parking lot to where Helen had left him beside his car. He'd stilled and was wheezing weakly.

"Can you drive?" Helen had her hands all over Neil's body, searching for the source of his pain. Sid nodded, holding his arm with a grimace.

"Yeah." Digging in his pockets, Helen looked for Neil's keys, then spied them lying on the pavement by the rear tire. Tossing them up to Sid, he took the hint and jogged around to the driver's side.

"Come on, Neil." She ordered with a grunt. Looping her arms under his armpits, she growled as she lifted him from the ground. He let out a howl, grasping at her back while she threw open the rear door and backed him into the seat. Falling back with a cry, he lay across the seats and coughed in wet sputters. Helen jumped inside and leaned over him.

"Go!" Sid floored the Jeep from the lot and bumped roughly through the alley, cutting corners to head into the city. Helen ripped open Neil's shirt, revealing two bleeding wounds in his stomach.

"You'll be fine." She murmured, pressing her palms to his gunshots. His only response was spasms of agony. His cries filled the car and seeped into Helen's skin, marking her permanently as they sped through the streets.

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><p>"We got the new shit ready?" Billy asked, leaning between Heco and Joey at the bar. The cook nodded and poked the counter with a finger.<p>

"Week's worth, packed and everythin'." Billy nodded and eyed the clock. In a few hours they'd hit the corners, starting their workday when the rest of the world was finishing theirs.

"Good." He clapped Heco on the back and turned his attention to his brother. Joey was munching away on a dish of peanuts, zoned out on the television that sat on the shelf behind the bar. Billy grabbed him by the back of the neck and jolted him from his trance, murmuring into his ear.

"Wanna ride with me?" Joey grinned, looking up at his brother.

"Fuck yeah I do." Billy laughed in a deep chuckle, rumbling his chest.

"What about me, huh?" Bodie piped up, tossing his head in a fake display of jealousy. Billy laughed louder and looped his arm around Joey's shoulders.

"Don't get upset princess, plenty ta go around." Bodie shook his head and laughed.

Then a blinding light broke through the darkness. The men all turned to observe the newcomers and Sammy headed to the front of the bar. When the afternoon sun died down and they could see beyond the simple silhouettes, the air stilled. Two men stepped inside, black ski masks drawn over their faces, twin oozies aimed at the bar.

Billy tugged on Joey's neck and threw him to the floor as the first shots chewed through the wooden bar. The rest of the men found the floor in a similar fashion, a few leaping over the counter, as Billy pinned his brother to the hardwood, ripping his .45 from the back of his jeans and blind firing behind him. Suddenly Bodie grabbed a handful of Billy's shirt and tugged. His yells were inaudible in the roaring room, gunshots blasting away all sound until all Billy could hear was the rasping of his own breaths. Dragging Joey along, the three scrambled around the corner into the poolroom, ducking behind the wall. Joey's chest heaved and his eyes were clamped closed as he slammed his back to the wall. Billy and Bodie, however, leant out into the open, firing towards the front door in an attempt to hit their attackers.

Then, as quickly as it had started, the shots stopped. The door opened and closed in a flash of light. When the room settled for a second, Billy stood and stepped from the room.

"Anyone hit?"

"Jaime was clipped in the leg." Spink called, kneeling next to the fallen man as he pressed his hands to the injury.

"Goddamn it." Billy growled. "Sammy!" The bartender appeared from behind the counter, clinging to a shotgun. "You good?" He nodded and Billy sniffed, rubbing the back of his hand over his nose.

"What the fuck was that?" Bodie murmured. "WHAT THE FUCK!" He repeated, throwing up his hands. Billy snarled and ran his hands over his scalp.

"Fuck."

"I think ya nailed one, Bill." Baggy panted, standing up from behind the bar, Tiffany tucked to his back. "Heard one squeal." His sister gripped a handful of his shirt and let out a cry, her breath coming in ragged gasps. He held her and set his jaw, glaring at Billy, containing the anger that no doubt was growing inside him.

Billy turned back to poolroom and stepped softly inside, looking down at his brother. Joey was staring at the wall across from him and biting the inside of his lip, elbows braced on his knees.

"You ok Joe?" Billy asked quietly, trying to read the utterly blank expression on the teenager's face. He didn't get answer, because at that moment the front door busted open yet again, letting in the daylight.

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><p>The whole city seemed to be asleep, no one bothering to get out of bed and move about outside. So Danny was plenty bored at work. Atta had retreated to the office and Danny wandered around aimlessly, playing with things on pawn or petting Pete. She was tempted to ask to go home, but then she'd remember the bills waiting on her table at home. And suddenly the easy money didn't seem so bad.<p>

She was thumbing through a stack of LP's when she heard the shop's bell ding, alerting her to an entering customer. Standing from a crouch, she moved to the front of the store at a leisurely pace, swiping her dusty fingertips on her pants. She'd changed since meeting her father for lunch, and she felt more at home in the jeans and t-shirt. Just clearing the air with her father had made her feel lighter, and the comfortable clothes soothed her to the core. Today was gearing up to be a good day.

A squeal caught her attention and she frowned, emerging from behind a glass display.

"Can I help—" She froze, staring at the gun pointed at her face.

"Out." A man in a ski mask ordered her gruffly, his voice thick with an accent she couldn't place in a single syllable. Danny started to shake and took a step, tears quickly blurring her vision. Pete was on the floor, not moving on the dark carpet. When she saw him, Danny gasped and wheezed out a cry. The masked man moved to grab her, reaching with gloved hands for her arms.

"Danny?" Atta wandered out from the back hall and went wide-eyed at the intruder. Taking advantage of the distraction, Danny pitched forward and shoved the man's chest, running as he stumbled back into a display of DVD's. Every beat of her heart pumped adrenaline through her, sending her running like she was stealing second. It felt like a dream, her limbs moving slowly though the floor flew beneath her at surreal speed.

Atta followed her lead and the two girls bolted into the back. A blast rocked Danny to the bone, the wall in the hall pitting and splintering as bullets missed her by millimeters. Atta rounded into the office and disappeared from sight. There was an old revolver hidden in the desk and Danny felt a glimmer of relief. Maybe the thief would be deterred by their escape, grab a stereo or two and just leave them. But a pain shot through her scalp and she screamed, the moment of wishful thinking vanishing in a second. A hand tugged on her hair and pulled her head back in a swift jerk, cracking her bones like popping knuckles. He'd caught her.

"HELP!" Danny screamed, clawing at her attacker's hold as he yanked her back, dragging her toward the front door. He could have anything in the store, why was he going after her? She spread her arms in a frantic attempt to fight back and she caught a shelf, knocking books and junk to the floor.

"Hold still girl." He growled, moving his hand from her hair to her throat, squeezing as he continued to drag her to the front. Russian. His accent was Russian. A cold horror washed over her skin and Danny screamed, long and loud until she gasped for air. Joey had mentioned Russians with something. Her mind scrambled to remember while she fought, swinging her arms and legs. With a hard crack, her elbow connected with something metal and she saw a black handgun clamor to the floor. She'd disarmed him.

Danny thrashed savagely, whirling around to kick with her short, yet strong, legs. What she didn't expect was the fist that smashed into her face. The last thing she remembered was the floor and watching a pair of shoes closing in as the room grew dark.

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><p>"DON'T SHOOT!" Atta cried, freezing in the doorway as several guns trained on her at the Four Roses. They all quickly obeyed and Sammy bolted from around the counter.<p>

"Atta? Who is tha—" The girl limped into the bar, struggling to hold up the body of a second. Billy frowned at the figure while Sammy moved to aid the dark-haired girl carrying her.

"A guy busted in, tried to take Danny—" She let out a sob, passing the second girl's bodyweight to the bartender, who lifted her onto the counter.

"DANNY?" Billy whirled as he heard his brother's voice. Joey flew past in a blur and ran to the girl's side. Danny. The name finally clicked and Billy's stomach knotted. Joey's girl was named Danny.

"Oh my god…" His brother's voice cracked as he ran his hands over the unconscious girl's face. "Danielle. Can you hear me?" He whispered, cupping her head with a delicate touch.

"WHAT HAPPENED?" Billy roared with alarming rage. Seeing his brother that way broke something deep inside him, and he didn't care who he had to get to, someone was going to pay. Atta trembled, clutching Sammy's chest and crying into his t-shirt.

"I couldn't get the fuckin' gun loaded. Why weren't there fuckin' bullets in it? Who doesn't load a fuckin—" Joey ripped his head up and screamed.

"WHAT HAPPENED!" By now the men had circled the girl and Billy could see Danielle clearly. She was bleeding from her nose and mouth, the skin around her cheek and lip already swollen and bruising. Her red hair was splayed out on the counter, cascading from the bar in loose auburn curls. Joey's arm was wrapped around her waist, pulling her against his chest while his second hand petted her forehead. His fingers were trembling as they gently touched her skin and Billy realized it wasn't only from sadness, but outrage. His brother was growing red, his face tight with anger.

"He hit her and she fell, I saw the asshole kicking her…" Atta let out a sob and Joey gently lifted Danielle's shirt. Sure enough, her stomach was littered with red splotches, some progressing to sickly purple. Billy flexed his jaw, sharing the pain with his brother, wishing he could bear it entirely. His protective nature was in overdrive, watching Joey's anguish and fury. "I came out with the gun and he bolted, he was tryin' ta drag her to the door." Sammy patted her head and Atta buried her face in his chest, crying and losing words altogether. The men stared at each other, unable to speak as Joey whispered to Danielle, quietly trying to coax her awake. Shock had blanketed the bar in silence. In a matter of minutes, their world had been flipped; the enemy was no longer a hypothetical threat, they were a real one. One that had gone after them in broad daylight, and attempted to make a hostage out of Joey's girl.

A minute passed. Tiffany made an icepack and tended to Danielle while Joey refused to leave her side. Sammy held Atta, stroking her hair and whispering in Spanish. On the floor, Spink tied off Jaime's knee, slowing the bleeding from his calf. Bodie walked up to Billy's side, shuffling his boots over bits of broken glass. They connected eyes and Bodie shook his head.

"So much for cleanin' up Hell's mess." He murmured to himself. Without warning, Joey launched himself at Bodie, raising a fist and snarling. Instantly the men caught him, holding the furious teenager back before he'd landed a single punch. Their voices all rose, the men trying to talk sense into the younger Darley. Billy stepped into the middle, watching the tears building in Joey's eyes.

"This is my fault! HEY!" Raising a finger, he pointed to Joey. "Don't blame him, blame me." When Joey had calmed, Baggy and Heco dropped his arms and he huffed, breaths hissing through his teeth.

"I want you to find these fuckers." He finally snarled. "And I want to watch 'em bleed."

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><p><strong>OH BOY. That was a long one lovelies. Surprised? Love to my faithfuls! I love you all. <strong>


	17. Chapter 17

**Here we go. Finally got this ironed out. HUGE thanks to Leeseelee for the hospital scene. Hope you guys enjoy. =)**

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><p>She rubbed her thumbs into her palm, massaging an ache that wasn't there. The grooves of her handprints were rusty, filled in by the blood that had flowed through her fingers. Helen picked at her nails, trying in vain to dislodge the dried flecks beneath. Though the room was quiet, her heart still sped with anxiety, adrenaline. It had all happened so quickly, it was over before she could catch her breath.<p>

"Hey." Sid walked up next to her, reaching out to touch her shoulder. His chest was bare, his shirt ripped off when Doc had tended to his wound. Now, white tape and gauze encased his upper-right arm, covering half of the long, Celtic cross tattooed on his bicep. She looked up at him as he opened his mouth to speak, but he abandoned the words and sighed. It was clear to him what she was feeling. The blood on her hands, the desperate escape…it was her stabbing all over again.

Turning her head, Helen glanced at the body lying behind her on the table. That was the difference. The night Helen was stabbed, Sid had watched her bleed, begged her to try and survive. And she had. That afternoon, it had been Helen who had watched a life drain out on the table. She'd been the one yelling. But Neil had still died.

"Fuck." She hissed, examining his body with damp eyes. It wasn't hard for her to witness death. Most of the deaths she'd seen were at her own hands. But this wasn't the same. It wasn't quick or vengeful. Neil had faded slowly in the back of the car and struggled worse when they'd reached their hideout. No measure of compression had eased the blood flow. Her words of encouragement had fallen on deaf ears, yet Neil never looked away. His eyes spoke volumes to her, pleading for help. He'd been in agony; he'd been afraid. And she couldn't save him. That made this worse than any causality. This was a loss. One of her men: gone.

Doc reached out and picked up the discarded bandages around Neil's body. The white cotton was smeared with dark, coppery blood. He placed it all in a plastic bag, carefully collecting all the waste. When he was done, he stared at the body. Neil's skin was pale and slightly grey, the warmth of his flesh lost atop the crude steel table. He lie facedown, his head turned to the side. Doc had cut open the back of Neil's shirt, exposing the gunshots that had pierced his ribs, exiting his belly. How he'd managed to breathe as long as he had remained a mystery. But he'd lasted just long enough for Helen to hope.

"I'm sorry, Hell." Doc murmured, packing up the last of his things. It wasn't his fault. Neil had passed out before his arrival. But his words were sincere and Helen nodded softly, still watching her fallen man over her shoulder. His last conversation with her sprang to mind, the embarrassed yet honest confession. And her chest tightened. One moment he'd been leaving to take his girl home, the next he was gone.

Sid's phone rang and he gingerly reached into his back jean pocket, moving his injured shoulder as little as possible. When he flipped it open, he grunted into the receiver.

"What?" Helen nodded to Doc as he left with a small dip of his head. His footsteps echoed in the abandoned carwash, leaving Helen and Sid alone. After a moment of listening, Sid snapped the phone closed.

"Kade's on his way." Helen sat down silently next to Neil's head. She couldn't give him a nameless grave. He deserved better. But what was she going to do with the body? "He's takin' his girl home, apparently the Four Roses was shot up 'round the same time we were." Whipping her head around, Helen frowned.

"What?" Sid sighed again, his fatigue mixing with suppressed pain.

"She said two guys shot at the Darleys." Helen's heart sped and her face warmed with anger.

"Jesus Christ." She hissed, bracing her hands on the side of the table. Looking up at the ceiling, she closed her eyes and swallowed, putting together all the pieces. "What happened?" She muttered. What she really wanted to know is if Billy was hurt. If Billy was alive. It was silly how her mind flew to him immediately. Pictured him on a table, still and grey. The thought sent a shiver through her and Helen fought it away, waiting for an answer.

"One of Darley's guys got clipped. Nothing serious. But…" He shuffled to her side, standing beside her and looking down at Neil. "…Darley's brother, the kid…" Helen opened her eyes and held her breath. If Joe Darley was dead, Billy's wrath would be unquenchable. He would become a mad dog, ripping through every Russian in his path until they put him down. If they could put him down. "…his girl got beat pretty bad…like they tried to kill her." She closed her eyes yet again, shaking her head. Kids. The Russians were going after teenagers in order to get to them. Her stomach flopped as she imagined the girl, fighting off a violent attack by an experienced criminal. Despite her own ruthless nature, she never wished cruelty on girls. She knew all too well the effects of abuse, verbal or otherwise.

"Fuck." She muttered. Crossing her arms, she tried to collect her thoughts. But while her mind was swirling with plans, her gut panged for something simple. She wanted to see Billy. It was almost a primitive instinct and it fought her logical side. Never before had she genuinely worried about his wellbeing, yet it tugged at her ruthlessly. Maybe it was the events of the afternoon pushing her protective instincts to new heights. Or maybe she was being forced to face a growing truth. Helen Gates gave a damn. "Did he have family?" She asked quietly, moving on in order to ignore the new blatant reality of her feelings. Sid shrugged.

"Don't think so. I think he said he was from Iowa or somethin'." Helen swallowed, sadness threatening her stability.

"Indiana." She whispered. Why she'd remembered that, she didn't know. But Sid nodded with recollection and let out a long exhale.

"I'll ask around." She nodded and stood, crossing the long room and slowly opening the exterior door. The afternoon had quickly faded to dark, the air chilling significantly as the sun disappeared. While she stared out into the evening, Helen replayed the shooting in her head. So quick. Barely a minute. "What ya wanna do, Hell?" She didn't answer for a while, leaning in the doorway as lightning suddenly lit the clouds above. Then rain started to fall, blackening the pavement below.

"Lock down the girls. Get everyone here." She didn't mind when the water splashed her nose and cheeks. "Then we're leavin'."

* * *

><p>"So let me get this straight." Wallis raised an eyebrow as she crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Two Mexican males entered your bar, opened fire with automatic weapons, then left. They didn't ask for money? Or make any demands?" Sammy rolled his eyes, mouthing silent curses. "That's your statement?"<p>

"For the six hundredth time, lady. Yes." Wallis studied him for a moment, and then used her notebook to point at Atta in the distance. She was leant up against a police cruiser, hugging herself while she talked to another detective.

"Then the same men that held up a pawn shop down the street?" Sammy shrugged.

"Don't know. Wasn't there." With another frown, Wallis re-crossed her arms.

"But you did call the police when they came to the bar for help." He sighed.

"Yes."

"And that one…" She gestured with her notebook again towards Atta. "…Miss Callas…you're romantically involved." Sammy snorted and looked away.

"Were." Wallis smirked.

"Well ya sure looked cozy when we showed up." Sammy locked his jaw, grinding his teeth.

"The fuck do you care?" He mumbled, glaring back up at her. Wallis gave a short laugh.

"It's interesting that both of the pawn shop's employees are involved with men that were in the bar at the time of the shooting." She stared him down, pointing out the obvious connection. "Danielle Reynolds is Joe Darley's girl." Then she glanced back at Atta. "And she was yours."

"Coincidence." He hissed. Wallis shook her head, grinning like she'd solved the case.

"In my line of work, there's no such thing." Sammy's frown settled slightly, unnerved by her knowing smile. Then she glanced away. In the parking lot, standing against his black Mustang, was Billy Darley. She'd seen him once or twice and still remembered Morrison's frightened warning. _They'll bury you._

Unlike Billy, Wallis hadn't ever seen Bones Darley. He was the kingpin and kept pretty much underground. On the rare occasion that a picture would appear on the bulletin board at the precinct, it was either extraordinarily blurry or his most recent mug shot. And recent was a loose term. Bones Darley hadn't been arrested since he was twenty-nine. Staring across the lot at his eldest son, Wallis couldn't help but see the haunting similarity between the old photo and what she saw. But she, unlike her ex-colleague, wasn't afraid of the Darley's.

Without a word, she strode away from Sammy and left him on the sidewalk by the bar, heading out into the lot. Billy didn't move or even straighten at her approach. Her guess, he'd wanted the confrontation to go this way. He wanted to intimidate her while looking like he was just relaxing on a fall evening. The clouds overhead started to rumble, threatening rain as the light faded from the sky.

"Anybody taken your statement?" She called, carefully taking slow, calm footsteps as she advanced. Her movement was as calculated as his slouch, communicating to the drug dealer that she felt nothing at his presence. That he was just another witness to a shooting.

"What do ya think?" He said. The deep voice threw her off. Sure, he was a strong, tall man, but he was nearly ten years younger than her. She didn't expect the gravelly sound from someone that young. Without missing a beat, she forced an easy smile and tucked her notebook into her jacket pocket. A conversation with Billy Darley could make or break an investigation. He knew what happened here; he could solve her case for her. But coming at him with a notepad and blasting him with questions wouldn't get her anywhere.

"I'm sure ya wanna get out of here. It's been a crazy day." He smirked a little and took a drag. Letting her accent droop, Wallis relaxed her stance and shrugged. "What happened?" Billy looked her over for a moment, like she was a riddle he had to crack.

"I'm pretty sure ya know that." She held back her frustration. He was playing with her, pushing her limits. And he didn't realize how much she wanted to threaten her way to getting answers. But, again, she knew better.

"Well, I'd like to know what ya saw." She said with a calm, even tone. Billy snorted to himself.

"I'm sure ya would sweetheart." Her temper flared and she swallowed, forcing the burning sensation down her throat.

"Come on, Billy." She spread her coat with her pocketed hands, literally opening herself up. "I'm bein' all kinds of nice." He smirked and took a drag, holding the smoke in his lungs for a moment.

"It's how Sammy said. Two Mexicans tried to mow the place down." Then he grinned, hissing the white smoke from his lips. "They missed." Wallis nodded and glanced at Atta, who had found her way back into Sammy's arms. He held her firmly, as if she would break into a million pieces if he let her go.

"And Johnny's Pawn? Ya know anythin' about that?" The question darkened Billy's face and his grin vanished.

"No." Wallis raised an eyebrow, interested in the reaction.

"Your brother's girlfriend was beaten pretty severely for a robbery." He flexed his jaw for a second, blinking. She could practically see his wheels turning. Then he sniffed and shrugged.

"I've seen worse." Wallis let it go, knowing a dead end when she saw one.

"Any of your boys catch a bullet?" Billy snorted with an irritated frown.

"Did it look like any of 'em got shot?" She knew not to challenge that.

"So why the cleanup?" He let that question hang in the air. The wind was getting impatient, picking up her long hair and throwing loose strands into her face. When he didn't answer, Wallis crossed her arms. "The floor was wiped with bleach. Could smell it the second I walked in." Again he just stared. "Or did something else go down in that bar? Huh?" Then his face broke out in a grin. She'd crossed the line and now he was done.

"Sammy keeps the place nice." He purred, standing from the side of his car. "That a crime now?" Wallis let her frustration out, searching desperately for one last shot at information.

"It is if ya covered up a crime scene." Then he suddenly stepped right up against her. Billy only stood a couple of inches above Wallis, but it was just enough to force her to look up at him.

"Ya want a crime scene, sweetheart?" His arm extended past her ear as he pointed to the pawnshop down the block. "There's ya fuckin' crime scene." Then he lowered his arm, setting his cigarette between his lips. "Plenty of mess for ya in there." Stepping around her, he started walking towards the front door of the bar.

"You can't go in there." She pointed out, hands on her hips as she followed. Sammy moved to block her and Billy halted in front of the yellow tape.

"You've had me closed all fuckin' day. I got customers ta serve." The bartender snapped. Wallis glared at him but Sammy crossed his arms.

"Doesn't look like ya got a line outside." She muttered.

"Sammy." Billy interrupted with a deep growl. The bartender turned and lowered his arms. "Whiskey, three fingers." Billy grunted, locking eyes with Wallis. With that, Sammy turned back to her and raised his brows.

"He doesn't count." She snapped, ignoring Billy's stare. "It's a crime scene."

"Those crime scene idiots left over an hour ago!" Sammy hissed. "Now you're just jerkin' me around." Then he stepped back towards the door. "If ya want ta poke around, fine. But I got business." Billy grinned as Sammy tore back the crime scene tape. She didn't argue because, technically, she had no reason to keep it blocked. The bullets had all been collected and photos had been taken. And everyone knew nothing would come of the investigation. Not when the victims didn't want your help.

* * *

><p>He had to keep his eyes open, or all he would be able to see was Danny's face. He'd seen the purple bruises on her stomach and the blood in her nose. Those images made him furious, crazy with anger. But some of that rage was directed internally. Where had he been when his girl was fighting off a kidnapping attempt? He'd been hiding behind a wall at the Four Roses, on the floor while his brother protected him. Shame had been festering in his stomach since, building until he couldn't help but lurch from his seat in the waiting room and pace.<p>

They hadn't been at the hospital long. But every minute felt like a million years. Danny had awoken in his arms, crying almost instantly in fear. And she hadn't let Joey from her sight until the nurses insisted. After all, he wasn't family.

Joey let his eyes close for a moment, his self-loathing turning to guilt. He allowed the picture of Danny's injuries back into his mind and he flinched, the corners of his eyes biting with the threat of tears. The look on her face still haunted him. Fear, pain…all his fault. If Joey Darley hadn't stepped into Danielle Reynolds' life, she would never have known the violence that had found her that day.

"I'm here for Danielle Reynolds. She's my daughter—" Joey looked up and instantly his gaze fell on Greg Reynolds. The red-faced man found him too, and he was glaring at him, recognition flaring his nostrils. "What did you do to her, you goddamn PUNK!" He charged, hands in fists as he hissed the words from between his teeth. Joey stood and met him head on.

"I didn't fuckin' touch 'er." Greg wasn't convinced. Grabbing a handful of Joey's jacket, he seethed.

"I knew you were trouble. You piece of shit." He kept his voice relatively quiet but the whole lobby was staring, watching the two men argue with hushed growls.

"Call me that again and we'll see who's in trouble ya fat fuck." Joey snarled, taking out his pent up frustration on the beefy man gripping his collar. Nothing would please him more than to beat Greg's face into a bloody pulp. It would feel fantastic. But he kept his head level, thinking about Danny and what she'd want him to do.

"Sir?" A security guard appeared from an unseen location, walking slowly up to the pair. All eyes were still trained on them as Greg wrinkled Joey's jacket. "Sir, is there a problem?" Greg snapped his gaze around to the round man, snarling.

"Yes, there's a problem. This piece of shit caused this!" Joey gave the guard a neutral expression, keeping his cool.

"Sir, I'm gonna need you to calm down." The guard, Randy from his ID, stepped closer. "Let 'im go." With that, Greg bit down on his jaw, scowling at Joey. Then, with a shove, he dropped his collar.

"Fuckin' asshole dragged my daughter into all this. Probably was the one that beat her face in!" He didn't hold back, spitting as he spoke.

"I'm not the one grabbin' people in waiting rooms." Joey growled. Then the guard stepped between them.

"He's right. You're the one causing problems, sir."

"I've been here for hours, just sittin'." Joey added. "Where were you?" Suddenly Greg launched himself at the teenager, arms flailing as he attempted to get his hands on him.

"THAT'S IT." Randy roughly took hold of Greg's arms, dragging him from the room.

"You son of a bitch! This is your fault you fuckin' dirt bag! YOUR FAULT!" The man's yells echoed as he was hauled from the lobby. But the words stung Joey nonetheless. His smile died on his lips and he slowly settled back into his seat. Despite his hatred for Danny's father, he couldn't help but understand the man was right.

* * *

><p>It hurt. There wasn't any other way of describing it. Not that she wanted to. But doctors seemed to ask so many questions when all she wanted to do was sleep. They'd poked and prodded, eventually numbing her from the heavy pain that throbbed throughout her abdomen and face. She didn't need to see what she looked like; she could see it in their eyes. It wasn't pretty. Pity was all over. Everyone moved quietly even though the ER was loud around them.<p>

So she just stared. Watching a mark on the curtain, Danny didn't react, think or speak. She barely blinked. There wasn't a thought in her head; and it was fabulous.

While it lasted.

Joey reemerged in her mind and she felt a spark of reanimation in her limbs. Looking over at the looming detective, she spoke quietly.

"You said I could see Joey." If she'd earned anything that day, it was the right to see whom she wanted.

"You'll see him soon—" The detective practically rolled his eyes at her. It made her calm trance fade.

"I want to see him now." She wasn't a stupid, love-struck teenager; she wasn't asking for him out of infatuation. Danny wanted Joey at her side because he was the only one who knew what had happened. A Russian man had hurt her and she knew it was connected with Billy.

"He can come in for a little while." A nurse spoke authoritatively from the side of her bed. Danny looked at her and wanted to smile, but her stiff face didn't cooperate. And she wasn't in much of a smiling mood anyway. The detective smirked at the blond nurse, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah?" Suddenly, the woman's calm, docile demeanor vanished and she gave the cop a hard stare.

"As a matter of fact, yeah. You can ask your questions tomorrow, when she's at home and rested." Danny felt her breath slowing, the woman's tone lifting a weight from her shoulders. She didn't have the energy to fight, but this nurse was fighting her battles for her. For the first time since arriving, Danny felt safe. "And in the meantime…" The blond stepped to the curtain, signaling the detective's exit. "…she can see whomever she wants."

In a matter of seconds, he was there. The nurse had vanished for a heartbeat and Joey had rushed to her bed, like he'd been waiting just outside all this time. His face was lined with so many emotions when he took in her face, and she could name every single one. Anger. That was the easiest. She could have been blindfolded and still have been able to sense his fury. Whoever hurt her had better start sleeping with a gun under his pillow, because the rage in Joey's eyes was like nothing she'd ever seen before. But there was more than just anger. Guilt. Sadness. Worry.

"Hey baby." He was gentle, taking her hand and kissing her forehead softly. His scent was a drug in itself. She unwound at the sound of him, the smell of him.

"Hi." And that was all she needed to say. They both sensed that questions were for later. The present was for comfort. All Danny wanted was to be in his arms. So he maneuvered her carefully, sliding behind her back on the bed so she could lean on his chest.

And for fifteen minutes, it didn't hurt anymore.

* * *

><p>"We gotta hit back, now." Bodie was stabbing the table with a finger, glaring across the booth at Billy. The men all nodded.<p>

"Fuckers nailed Spink. He won't be able ta walk for weeks." Jaime snarled, twisting his hands over the table.

"Not ta mention they hit us on our own turf." Baggy added, wrinkling his nose in a growl. They were all furious. Retaliation was going to happen whether the police were watching or not.

"Aren't we forgettin' somethin'?" Heco grumbled, angrily glaring at his beer. All heads turned to him and instantly the vengeful faces loosened in realization.

"Then we fuckin' find 'em." Bodie snarled, ramming his fist into the table. Billy stared at his friend, contemplating the idea. The memory of his brother's words came to mind. _I wanna watch 'em bleed. _He recalled the rage, the anguish. And Billy felt a renewed fire in his stomach.

"We split up." He shot from his seat and stood at the head of the table. "Everybody goes, groups of two. Spread out…" He leaned in and lifted his lip in a snarl. "I don't care if we gotta drive all over Boston. We find these assholes." As his men rose from the booth, a light buzzing erupted in Billy's pocket. Striding towards the front of the bar, he dug for his phone and flipped it open.

"Joe?" His brother hadn't checked in for over two hours and it was about time he called.

"No." Her voice sent a wave through his body. Helen. He hadn't heard from or seen her for over a week, but he'd been following her handy work.

"What, Hell."

"Heard you got shot up today." She didn't sound concerned. If she was, she was doing a great job of hiding it.

"Yeah. Imagine that. You go around blowin' heads off and I'm the one that ends up dodgin' bullets." Billy growled, his anger turning on her. This is exactly what he had warned her about.

"Oh shut it, drama queen."

"FUCK…" All of the men had stopped, watching him as he bellowed into the cell phone. But Billy took a breath; she wasn't getting to him. Not today. "Fuck you, Hell. One of my men got shot cuz—"

"YEAH? One of my men is dead!" His anger disappeared in an instant. Her tone suddenly made sense. She wasn't calling him to piss him off; she was pissed of at herself. "They came for me like they came for you, asshole." Billy wished he wasn't standing in front of his men. Then maybe he could get something from her, say the right thing.

"You good?" He asked quietly, turning away from curious eyes. Bodie raised an eyebrow, cluing into the context.

"I'm ending this." His pulse ran cold, but he kept his voice even.

"You gonna tell me how ya plan on doin' that?" Helen took a long time to answer, leaving only the white noise of the background to tell Billy she hadn't hung up. A dog barked and a train screamed in the distance. He could hear her boots on gravel, her breath on the receiver. "What are ya doin, Hell?"

"What I should have done weeks ago."

* * *

><p><strong>Another chapter soon. And it's a doosey. Just warning you. =)<strong>


	18. Chapter 18

**I'm baacckkk. =) So bad news: I broke my foot. Wah wah, it's all good. But there is always a silver lining right? Good news: I have 6 weeks to WRITE. THAT'S ALL. I'm couch ridden so I have all the time in the world to write this stuff for you. Consider me dedicated. Alrighty, new chapter as promised. More to come soon. Hope you enjoy. **

* * *

><p>With Sid at her back and a gun in her hand, she felt solid. Taking a breath of cold, evening air, Helen took a step. Her boot made very little sound on the cement. In the dark, she was a silent presence, agile and predatory. But she made each movement with caution, gripping the handgun in her palm. She didn't particularly like guns. They were loud and often inaccurate. And they ran out of ammo. Carrying a piece never made her feel as secure as a good blade. So she always carried those. One at her ankle, and one strapped under her right arm.<p>

Even with three weapons, Helen still felt her heart racing in her chest. She was kicking the hornet's nest. And it could very easily kill her.

The building was a dump. It smelled like gasoline, oil, and general body odor. Several degrading remarks swirled around in her head, wishing to burst from her mouth. She was never short a good insult and this place was begging for it. Sid's body was warm behind her, shielding from the gusts that blew in from the entrance. But the open layout didn't help the stuffiness. There was an invisible fog of moisture from the rain, brushing against the bare skin of her face. It made even the cool room uncomfortable.

The windows let in a little light, but a yellow glow from the back warned of activity deep inside. So, proceeding with care, Helen slinked forward.

* * *

><p>Call it intuition, call it paranoia, he didn't care. The minute her side of the phone had gone dead, Billy was charging from the Four Roses and leaping into the Mustang. He left them all staring on the curb of the bar, watching as he fled without a word. Bodie tried running after him, but Billy didn't stop for even a breath. If he was right, every second counted.<p>

The tires wailed as he pressed the gas pedal to the floor.

"Come on." He growled at the car. The red needle on the speedometer rose past 80. Not fast enough. People on the sidewalks whirled to watch as the Mustang shot by. Suddenly, the powerful motor beneath the hood wasn't powerful enough. As he flew through the streets, he smacked the steering wheel with his palms.

* * *

><p>One guy. That's all he had. The term bodyguard couldn't even be applied to the sad slob that Helen knocked over the head. He'd been too busy checking his phone, poking at the tiny buttons with big, dirty fingers to notice her appear from the dark. Sid covered her while she caught the man's weight. The harder they fall, the louder they fall. So she struggled under him while Sid looked on with an apologetic face. With as much patience as she could muster, Helen lowered the man to the floor and dumped him, taking a large breath.<p>

Smirking, Sid raised an eyebrow and Helen flicked him off. Then they grew serious once again, moving together through the dimly lit hall towards the lone light in the back. He probably hadn't planned on being in the building much longer and his lack of security was pure luck on their part. She expected someone to jump out at any second, but they had entered unnoticed. And so far, they'd encountered no resistance. If she was lucky, he wouldn't even see her coming.

"BURK!" They bolted against the wall, chests heaving with panicked breaths. Sid's bad arm reached out and his fingers brushed her elbow. Ripping her head around, Helen watched as he moved in front of her, effectively blocking her as he advanced towards the voice. With a frown, she shoved him back and passed. She was done being protected; he'd gotten shot once that day. The next bullet was for her.

"Burk! The fuck do I pay ya for?" Before she busted into the room, she took a long breath. The second she stepped into the room, she'd be crossing a boundary that she could never retreat from. But she was trading one danger for another, gambling with whatever luck she had left. She swallowed all her anxiety, uncertainty, and fear.

"Burk's busy." Helen snarled, moving swiftly into the grimy office. The night cast blue light onto his desk and it mingled with a glow the color of spoiled milk that emitted from a lamp. Cast in deep shadow, she was sure he saw nothing threatening about the silhouette entering the room. But as she pulled the hammer back on her gun, Helen felt the Ace fall solidly into her hand.

Bones Darley was a sitting duck.

"You've got some balls." He growled, staring straight into her eyes. The gun meant nothing to him, even though it was trained squarely on his forehead. He didn't even glance at it. Sid moved in behind her, quietly backing her up. Bones' eyes flicked to her man for a second, then they were back on her face. With a sniff, he sat back in his office chair, hands calmly spread on his desk. "If you're lookin' for Billy, you're a little lost." She smiled, her fear vanishing completely. His insults were like an invitation to play; and she'd been looking forward to the day when Bones was in her ring.

"Oh I'm in the right place." She purred. "You're just the man I wanted to see." He opened his mouth in a laugh, smiling with his teeth.

"Didn't get enough Darley the first time, sweetheart?" Stepping closer, she snorted a laugh.

"Nice try old man." But his words had hit her like a blow to the jaw. Billy had mentioned Bones' knowledge, but she'd figured most of it was guessing. But the twinkle in his eye was unmistakable; he knew more than she liked. "Billy told me 'bout your deal with the new kids in town." Gesturing with her head, she nodded towards Sid. "We'd like to pay 'em a visit. Return a little favor." Bones chuckled darkly and Helen grinned.

"No wonder Billy double dipped. You're sharp." He purred. She shrugged, forcing the smile to remain on her face. Getting angry would only play into his favor.

"What can I say? I'm one in a million." Bones leaned forward and she tensed, raising the gun higher on his head. With a sneer, he clasped his hands together and leant on his elbows.

"If I was ten years younger…" He purred, looking her up and down. Finally, Sid was through standing aside.

"Shut it, ya fat fuck." He growled. Helen turned her head and hissed through her teeth.

"Sid." With a clenched jaw, he flexed his fingers over the gun in his hands. But he remained silent. Bones chuckled through his nose at the display and raised his eyebrows in surprise when Sid obeyed. Helen put on a smirk once again and relaxed her stance. "Old men are allowed to dream."

"Oh darlin', what I'd do to ya wouldn't be a dream." He bit his lower lip for a second, then leant back in his chair. Wrinkling her nose, Helen fought the visuals from her head. She'd seen what the man had done to Billy years ago. The split skin on Billy's face had always remained a mystery but she could guess who'd been to blame. Those scars didn't come easy and Bones didn't raise his hand often; but when he did, you paid dearly. Bending down to lean a hand on his desk, Helen moved closer.

"Nuff chit chat, Bones. Where are your Russian pals?" His smile faded and he met her advance, hunching over his desk.

"Check the motel on Stewart." Her stomach turned and suddenly rage made her hands shake. He knew everything and he loved poking the soft spot she had for his son.

"I may be a pretty face, ya thick fuck, but I'm not fuckin' kiddin' around." She snapped. "This gun isn't a toy." She could feel Sid's questions without even looking at him. And it worried her how angry she was getting. In front of her right hand, Bones was revealing her biggest secret, and she was willing to shut him up. Permanently.

And that really wouldn't get her anywhere good.

"Ya think that's the first barrel I've had shoved in my face?" Bones growled. "You don't frighten me princess." Helen lurched forward until his nose was only centimeters from her own.

"Call me that again and you'll see how scary I can be." Bones stared at her, then his eyes flickered with a darkness, something that made even Helen's skin crawl. This man was the start of it all, the oldest living gangster in Boston. He'd done things to people she wouldn't even dream up. And he'd kept his seat secure for many years. It was lucky she'd even gotten this close, gotten him alone.

"Hell." Her stomach dropped and didn't bother looking; his voice was enough. "Put the gun down." Bones grinned and Helen slowly stood away, gun still pressed firmly into the man's forehead.

"'Bout time ya showed up." Bones growled. "Your girlfriend here's a bitch." Helen glanced over and shot Billy a look of dark hatred. He stood just inside the entrance from which they'd arrived, gun shoved into the back of Sid's head.

"I'm not goin' anywhere til I know where those fuckers are hidin', Darley." She bit back the rage, trying to keep her cool in a volatile situation. Even she knew when anger was dangerous.

"You're gonna put that goddamn gun down before I put another bullet in Skid here." Billy growled. Sid lifted his lip in a snarl and turned his head. With a quick jab, Billy hit him in the jaw with the gun, snapping Sid's head back around with a harsh jerk. Helen's limbs twitched as she watched her friend groan and slump his shoulders. Her instinct was to protect him, but her attention remained on Bones, her gun still firmly held on its target.

"If I don't find these guys, my men'll be dead by the end of the month." She snarled. "And how long before you're in the same boat?" Her anger sprang into her chest, heating her words as she spat them at him. "You gonna protect daddy when they come for YOUR friends?"

"PUT IT DOWN!" Billy bellowed at her, grabbing a handful of Sid's shirt to wrench him around.

"FUCK YOU!" She yelled back. Billy lashed out with a boot and hit the back of Sid's knee, sending him to the floor on his shins. When he fell, Sid reached for his injured arm and Billy pressed his gun to the top of the man's head.

"LAST CHANCE!" Helen shoved Bones back in his chair with the barrel of her gun.

"TRY ME!" They both seethed, huffing breaths through their noses while Bones and Sid watched.

"He won't tell ya shit, Hell." Sid murmured. Helen's lungs deflated and she looked back at him. He didn't meet her eyes, staring instead at Bones. "We gave it a shot. It's over." She wanted to scream.

"I walk away, he'll come after us." Helen growled. "I can't risk it."

"Not if you leave right now." Billy spoke up. They met eyes and Helen swallowed. He was giving her a way out.

"Shut your mouth." Bones growled under his breath. Billy didn't listen, sniffing and yanking Sid to his feet.

"You take your man and you hit the fuckin' road, and we'll forget this happened." Bones didn't speak but his glare said volumes. He valued his life, but he was furious at the bargain his son was making. Helen looked between the two Darley men for a few moments, then studied Sid's face. He was right, they wouldn't gain anything from killing Bones Darley. Their part was over.

"How do I know that's not bullshit?" She muttered, reluctantly glancing into Billy's eyes. With a few blinks, he answered by releasing Sid's shirt with a shove. He was giving her a sign of trust.

"Get out." He snarled. Her fingers twitched over her hold on the gun and she turned back to Bones. Taking a step back, she stared at him.

"You send anyone after me, I promise I'll make you pay." He narrowed his eyes.

"Watch your back sweetheart."

"DAD." Billy snapped and the man's menacing glare slackened in surprise. Helen glanced back and saw the control Billy was trying to maintain over his emotions. He was livid, but somehow he was holding it all inside. To survive. "He won't send anyone. Now get the fuck out."

She took careful steps, retreating while her aim remained. When she stood next to Sid, she stepped between him and the barrel of Billy's gun. A small tic moved his lips and she slid closer. Only when the gun grazed her nose did Billy relinquish a step backwards. It was a delicate exchange. One escape for another. She kept her aim and Billy kept his until Sid was safely through the doorway. Then she lowered her arm.

The two didn't say a word as she slipped back into the darkness.

* * *

><p>"You should have shot 'er." Bones growled. Billy rolled his eyes and replaced his gun in the back of his jeans. He didn't know which bothered him more: putting a gun in Helen's face, or realizing he could never pull the trigger.<p>

"You're welcome." He muttered, moving to stand in front of the desk. His father pushed away in his chair and stood, crossing the room.

"She wouldn't have done it." Reaching his safe, he fiddled with the combination. "Girl is brave, but she don't got the guts ta do that." Billy hissed a small laugh and looked down at his boots. Bones stopped and peered at him from over his glasses. "Somethin' funny?"

"You don't know, Hell." Billy said quietly, rubbing his fingers over his scalp.

"Alright." Bones grumbled. "Since you're the expert…" He threw open the safe and retrieved a large handgun from inside. "…you're gonna put 'er down." Billy's head shot up and his face darkened with a frown.

"No." The word tumbled from his mouth. "I told her—"

"Bitch tried ta kill me. She needs ta be taught a lesson." Bones sauntered back towards the desk.

"I won't do it." Billy squared his shoulders, praying his body language looked more convincing than what he felt inside. His gut was swirling with conflicting emotions. He didn't want to fight Bones but he couldn't let his father put a price on Helen's head.

"You're a goddamn disgrace. Lettin' a little pussy fuck with your head—" Billy bared his teeth, infuriated. Bones had a knife in his side and he'd twist it any chance he got. His night with Helen had been a mistake. He'd let his guard down enough to let her in and now Bones had something on him. But, for some reason, he knew he'd do it again if given the choice.

"That's got NOTHING to do with this."

"THEN WHAT, SON?" Bones roared in his face and Billy let his anger flow.

"SHE'S RIGHT!" The man shook with fury as his son yelled. But neither moved an inch. They stood face to face, glaring. Billy took a breath. "They're mowin' her men down and she's gettin' desperate." He swiped the back of his hand over his nose. "And today they took a shot at me and my guys." Bones studied him for a second, then dropped the gun from his hand to the desk.

"I know 'bout the shootin'." Billy nodded.

"Then ya know 'bout Johnny's Pawn." Bones squinted.

"So what?"

"One of the girls said the guy was Russian. Wore ski a mask. Just like the guys who hit the Four Roses." Again, they were both silent as Bones pondered the information. Billy was selling the story and he needed Bones to buy every word. "She ain't wrong. We're already takin' hits."

"Ya lived." Billy fought to contain the impulse to sock him in the jaw.

"Joe was there. And the girl they attacked was his girl." That caught Bones' attention. He relaxed ever so slightly in the face, listening to the story as if for the first time. "That's not about drugs. That's personal. They went after my kid brother." Billy let the anger show, wished the Bones would let it sink in.

"He's got a girl?" His father finally spoke and Billy wanted to scream; but he'd made a little progress.

"Yeah."

"Fuckin' idiot." Bones mumbled, moving away to return to his chair. Billy felt a bitter taste in his mouth, realizing he had said the same thing. He'd even hit his brother over it. All of it seemed stupid in hindsight; he'd condemned his brother for caring for a girl. His stomach churned and his thoughts flew to Helen, but he shook them away.

"The point is, whatever agreement you made with them is shot." Bones leant back in his chair and picked up a clip, pressing bullets in slowly as he listened. Being as patient as possible, Billy watched. He remembered the day his father had shown him how to load a gun. It was probably the only memory of Bones that didn't fill him with anger or disdain. It was the only moment his father had been a father to him at all.

"I can't afford ta have cops pickin' up bodies all over my corners." Bones muttered. Billy wanted to scoff. Of course, he'd never admit that he didn't want his sons to die. He'd rather just refer to them as 'bodies'. "Never saw their operation." He added. Billy's heart sank. If he hadn't known this whole time, he'd only been leading them on. "But they hang out at a place downtown. That's where I met 'em."

Billy didn't dare speak. His father was giving him exactly what they'd needed all along and he couldn't risk losing the information. Bones stopped loading the clip and flopped it back on the desk, then picked up another, peering over his glasses to look at his son.

"A club called Wild." With a stiff nod, Billy slid his hands into his pockets. Bones stared at him. "Don't get caught." Taking the words as a dismissal, Billy backed away, heading for the exit.

* * *

><p>"What was he talkin' about?" She'd been waiting for the question since they left. Bones hadn't been subtle about her past with Billy. It had only been a matter of time before Sid would ask.<p>

"Nothing." She lied. Of course she lied. If she didn't try to veer him away from the truth, she'd be giving up the secret too easily. But Helen knew he'd never fall for it.

"Don't fuckin'…" He bit down and slammed his fist on the armrest. "DAMN IT!"

"The fuck is your problem?" She snapped, glaring at him as she drove through the dark streets.

"HE PUT A GUN TO MY HEAD! TWICE!" Sid bellowed. "I HATE THAT GUY!" His breath was coming in pants as he yelled.

"No shit." She muttered. At this point, she was letting him yell. He deserved it after all he'd been through for the day. But he was silent suddenly, staring at her from the passenger's seat. When she glanced over at him, his eyes stung like an accusation. "What?"

"It's true, isn't it?" His voice was steady, but his face was tight with emotion.

"That old fuck doesn't know—"

"STOP LYING!" She clutched the steering wheel and pressed harder on the gas. What she felt couldn't be expressed with words. Her chest was too tight to breathe. How would she explain this? It felt like she'd committed treason; she'd broken an oath. But she hadn't; it had been her choice.

"Yes." He didn't respond, just glared at her from the seat. It was worse than his yelling. Sid was her best friend. She trusted him above everyone else on earth and she'd do anything for him. And his anger was twisting her up inside.

"Why?" When he murmured the word, she hadn't expected it. And the answer wasn't there. Even she'd wondered the same question. Ever since she was fourteen.

"Fuck. I don't know." She muttered. The rain had started to come down hard, blurring the windshield though the wipers moved furiously across the glass. "I've known Darley…" Helen stopped and clamped down on her jaw. Taking a deep breath through her nose, she started again. "I've known Billy since we were kids. He gets me cuz he's just like me." Sid snorted and she glanced at him. His expression hadn't softened, only shifted to one of disgust.

"HE IS!" She snapped. "That's why we can't fuckin' get along for more than two minutes!" Her voice faded into a mumble with each syllable. "We hate each other." The rain filled the silence. Helen knew she wasn't being honest. She couldn't, not even with herself. She rounded a corner and stopped at the carwash, pulling in once the large garage door opened. Her men were all standing inside. And under a sheet, against a wall, lie Neil. Still dead.

"I'll be back in a bit." She murmured. Sid stared at her for a moment, then threw open the car. He didn't bother to ask where she was going. Maybe he didn't care. As she pulled out of the garage, she glanced in the rearview mirror. Her best friend was stomping away, his back turned in the distance.

* * *

><p>It was so late at night, it was early morning. Billy felt fatigue weighing on his eyelids, but he drove forward nonetheless. He'd called Bodie the second he was outside Bones' shop and his men were all waiting for a plan. A plan to finish the Russians for good. But first, he had a stop to make.<p>

_You take your man and you hit the fuckin' road…_

They'd met there once before. Over a year ago. It'd been an accident and he'd stayed away to avoid being accused of purposefully running into her there. The place didn't have a name. It was only a road.

A road to nowhere. Far outside the city in an old industrial district. It went on for over three miles then wove back towards the highway. The asphalt was crumbling and potholes littered the sides. But he sped, regardless, weaving between the two lanes. No one drove down there anymore. No one except for them.

Halfway down the stretch, he spotted a car. It was parked on the side, pulled up next to a fence. It was almost the same place from before. But it wasn't an emotional spot. It was just a neutral zone. A hidden location that only they knew about. Not even Bones could watch them here. Not without being noticed.

She was driving a Jeep. And he frowned at the unfamiliar car. Then he noticed the bullet holes. There were many, scattered over the side and back. Billy sighed as he stared at the car. They'd killed one of her men and the bullet riddled car made him realize they could have killed her too. Next time, they probably wouldn't miss. As he stepped from the Mustang, the driver's side of the Jeep swung open.

Her hair was tucked into a ponytail and pieces of it hung around her face. Both her jeans and boots were splattered with mud while her grey t-shirt and jacket looked relatively dry. But not for long. The rain was still faintly falling and the grey fabric darkened with each drop until it nearly looked black. Billy slowly approached as she closed her door.

""That was pretty slick, callin' me." She didn't look as confident as she had earlier. Her face was shadowed and her expression remained flat.

"That's why I did it." Her voice wasn't playful or even victorious.

"You knew I'd show up at Bones' Shop, knew I'd play along. And ya knew Bones would tell me, and only me, where the Russians are if he felt threatened by them." She didn't respond, just crossed her arms and leant on the side of the Jeep. So he sat back on the hood of his Mustang and shrugged. "But it was a long shot."

"Not really." She muttered.

"I could have missed the dog barking." He purred.

"You didn't." Helen shot back.

"Or just shot you." He stood and stepped closer.

"HA. Right." Her laugh was dry and dark as she glared off into the distance. For some reason, it made him defensive.

"You sayin' I can't?" It really wasn't a question any longer. He couldn't shoot Helen. Not anymore. And he was pretty sure the sentiment went both ways, whether she'd admit it or not.

"No. You could have." Her response surprised him. She said the words like a surrender. Like she was saying whatever he wanted her to. Billy blinked and moved closer.

"What's your deal? It worked. We know where to find 'em." Helen snorted softly and buried her hands in her jacket pockets.

"Right...we." He wrinkled his nose and sniffed.

"You know what I mean." At that, she said nothing. Helen was completely silent and it made Billy nervous. He'd been playing off her lead at Bones' shop. She'd set the tone and he'd followed.

"We aren't friends." He didn't try to respond. It was obvious she was deep in thought, and was mulling over something. With a little waiting, he knew she'd continue. "We've never been friends." Billy rolled his eyes.

"What are you talkin' about?" Helen stood off the Jeep and wandered forward a step.

"When we were kids, we were honest. Mean, but honest. You didn't like me and I didn't like you. That was the truth." Billy remembered the nasty things they'd said to each other. Always mean things; to the point were they wouldn't even go near each other in order to avoid being ripped apart and sent to the principle's office. The memories made him grin.

"So?" She was quiet again. Staring into the grey. The sun wasn't far, the dark sky was starting to lighten.

"Things changed." It was barely a whisper. Crossing his arms, Billy stood.

"I know that. What's your point?" It was obvious things had changed. The second Helen had revealed skin above her knees, things had changed.

"Nevermind." She muttered. He stepped forward.

"No, what were you—" Without warning, Helen turned and lunged at him, grabbing handfuls of his jacket to pull him flush against her body. In the same heartbeat, she brought her lips to his, opening her mouth into a deep, consuming kiss. Billy forgot himself for a moment, his hands uselessly hung at his sides as she stunned him with her soft touch, warm tongue. But he remained still for only a second; his hands shot to her face, cupping her jaw. She moved away as if he'd slapped her.

"Don't tell me you don't feel that." Helen whispered. So he didn't. Billy sucked on his bottom lip, tasting what remained. She watched him for a moment, breathing in a soft pant, then she turned and walked away. Her figure faded in a light mist and Billy followed at a leisurely pace. As she halted at the fence, she leant over it. And while they stood, he watched her, her straight nose and defined chin. The brown eyes masked beneath long lashes.

"You never asked." He blurted. Without even blinking, she didn't react.

"Asked what?" He stepped forward and stood beside her, leaning on one elbow to look down at her.

"In the back of that Oldsmobile, ya never asked if I liked ya." Helen cracked a smile, first one he'd seen all night. Then she tossed her head back and laughed. He couldn't help but grin.

"Why would I?" She sputtered, peering up at him. Her eyes were sparkling at the memory. It was one of the few positive ones in his life, he was sure it held a similar standing in hers. With a sniff, he shrugged.

"Cuz all the girls ask that shit. If they like ya, they gotta know ya feel it back." Helen raised an eyebrow and snorted.

"Who said I liked you?" Billy chuckled and leant down until their noses nearly touched.

"You did." Cocking her head, Helen's brow completely lifted in surprise. He flashed a toothy smile. "That night at the motel." Her face fell and she let out a groan. Dropping her head, she leant completely on her arms.

"Fuuuuck." Then she snapped upright, staring back into his eyes. They were so close he could count the freckles that ran from her cheekbones to her nose. Her smile faded as they stared, and she shot away suddenly, walking back to the Jeep. "Guess I did."

He made a face as she retreated yet again. She was acting just like before, resisting him though their chemistry drove them together. Billy was tired of chasing her, and he knew she wanted a reason to stop running.

"I did ya know." He called into the mist, crossing his arms.

"Yeah?" She tossed the word over her shoulder, like she didn't care. That wasn't the truth. If he was going to tell her this, she was going to listen. Moving in long strides, he caught up when she reached the car.

"Probably always have." She stopped with her hand on the handle of the door.

"Yeah?" The question was hesitant, nervous. Billy planted a hand next to her head, keeping the door shut. He purred into her ear.

"I liked you even though you were a crazy, heartless bitch." She laughed and turned, facing him against the car.

"And I liked you even though you were a cocky, skanky punk." He smiled with triumph. They'd finally admitted it. Even though it'd been common knowledge between the two of them, it had never been spoken. They were a match: they fought hard and fucked harder. Perfect in their world.

"Helen." He whispered her name, leaning in so close their breath mingled. She gave him a sigh.

"What." His eyes fell to her lips. She was designed for sinning; if he had his way, she'd never leave his bed.

"Can we stop talking now?" Her lips tightened to a line and she brought back a fist, hitting him in the chest. It wasn't hard, just enough to make him grunt.

"Fuck you." She grinned as he rubbed the spot. Billy closed in on her and eyed her mouth again.

"You were startin' to sound like a girl..." Helen laughed and shook her head, biting a lip.

"I hate you." Their noses grazed and her words escaped with a wheeze of air.

"Liar." Billy whispered. And then her lips were too tempting. He devoured them and pinned her to the car. This time, she didn't fidget. Helen hungrily accepted each touch, each plunge of his tongue. Her fingers clawed at his neck and his mouth opened to take her, all of her. Their movements were clumsy, rushing. He took her hair in a fist and she scratched at the leather on his back. His crotch rubbed against her thigh and they let out a simultaneous groan, panting. Then she pushed gently on his shoulders.

"Stop." He panted and smoothed a hand over her forehead. It was crazy how badly he wanted her. Women were interchangeable for him. But not Helen. There was only one of her. And she was like a drug. The more he got, the more he wanted. Needed.

Billy stepped back and Helen straightened her shirt.

"Damn Darley, keep that up and we'll never get anything done."

He had to laugh.

* * *

><p><strong>More sooon. Promiseeee. Love you all. <strong>


	19. Chapter 19

**Lots of feelings going on in here. Kinda nervous. Massive love to xxCherieweexx, I'm writing your short, I swear. Don't want to rush a good thing. And of course, all my love to my dear Sparkly.  
>Love to the faithful, those that are left. Enjoy. =)<strong>

* * *

><p>He moaned as he rolled over on the bed. It felt like years since he'd had a goodnight's sleep. Ironic, though, that it came the night he'd been nearly killed in a shooting. But Billy didn't care. He flipped over in his sheets, feeling the cool material slide over his skin, every inch of it.<p>

The sound of water stirred him and he opened an eye, glancing into the room.

"Don't tell me you're done for the night." Her voice. Like crack for the ears. Billy grinned and shifted, looking towards his bathroom door. What he saw stopped any words and all he could manage was a grunt.

Helen stood in the doorway, naked from head to toe. And dripping wet at that. Her hair was wavy from a shower, tucked behind her ears in messy strands. As his eyes drifted along her body, she smiled. Her skin was tan around the shoulders, the outline of a tank top pale against the bronze limbs. Modest, perky breasts were next, nipples erect from the cool room, and a lean, toned abdomen flexed and relaxed with each breath. Billy could recall licking every inch of her earlier that night, growling like a starving man as he greedily sucked. Staring at her from across the room, he itched to do so again, and his eyes fell between her legs. Helen had them crossed, the flower between her thighs hidden as she leaned in the door. But he knew all too well what that tasted like.

"Goddamn." Billy groaned, words finally rising to his lips. With a wink, she stepped into the room, running a hand down her stomach.

"Does that mean you want more?" The sheets were off his body in the blink of an eye as he sat up.

"Get over here." Billy growled, poised to lunge if needed. But she nibbled on a lip and slowly advanced.

"Don't tell me what ta do, Darley." She teased. Resting a knee beside his thigh, Helen moaned as Billy grabbed her ass, trying to lift her onto his hips. He was already hard, aching for the deliciously wet woman in front of him. Opening his mouth, he took a nipple and sucked, evoking small whines from her lips. Then he was shoved, ending up on his back and staring at the ceiling. Helen giggled. "Ya got your way last time." She purred. "This time, I get ta fuck you." He groaned as she slipped off his body, her breasts pressing into his thighs.

"Fuck." He whispered, tangling his fingers in her black hair. She took her time teasing, licking and kissing his hips with an open mouth, drifting her lips over the hard flesh of his shaft. "Helen." Billy'd had plenty of blowjobs in his life, but no one teased like she did. The girls all rushed to the main course, numbing him with their mouths. Not Helen. She played with his nerves until his cock wept with torture. Only then would she taste his tip, taking little by little into her lips. He groaned continuously, dropping his head back onto the mattress when he couldn't hold it up any longer. His endurance was substantial, but she brought him closer to climax than he liked. Too soon. With a buck of his hips, he brought her head away and cradled her jaw in his hand.

Not a word passed between them. Their eyes said it all. Moving smoothly over his body, Helen lay across his chest, grinning as she rested her chin on top of his peck.

Something strange happened then, an odd sensation rippled down to his toes. It wasn't arousal or fatigue; it was something different. Billy relaxed and Helen's face became neutral, gazing down at him with her brown eyes. Then she leant over, placing her lips gently against his. Gently. A whisper of a kiss passing between two of the deadliest people in the city. His palm cupped her cheek and he pulled his neck from the bed to meet her again, barely touching his mouth to hers. The sensation was pulsing through him, cooling and scorching at the same time. Billy ran his thumb over her jaw as he brushed his lips on the corners of her mouth. Snaking her arm under his back, Helen pulled him closer, flattening her second hand over his ribs. He rubbed the curve above her hip and kissed her softly, hoping to maintain the strange floating feeling that was burning in his veins.

Rustling the sheets, Helen stared into his eyes as she slowly straddled his erection. Their lips moved slowly, tongues touching in small flicks. In a smooth motion, Helen gasped and Billy gripped her hips, burying himself deep inside her soft body. It was slow. Each thrust was a rock of her spine, graceful and tight. They whispered to each other, moaning and panting.

"Billy Darley." Helen nibbled his ear as he kissed her neck. He nonverbally replied by rubbing his hands over her butt, following the rhythm of her thrusts. "I love you."

* * *

><p>He bolted straight up, his whole body responding like he'd been shocked by electricity.<p>

She was gone. Darting his eyes around the room, he felt his heart pounding in his chest, but his bedroom was dark. His sheets were dry and cold. It was silent; he was alone.

"Shit." Billy rubbed his scalp with a sigh then reached under the sheets to finish off the aching hard-on between his legs.

* * *

><p>He didn't sleep. It was impossible. At the earliest moment possible, he was back at the hospital, waiting patiently as nurses and doctors moved in and out of Danny's room. He'd brought her new clothes and the old ones were tucked into a plastic bag, dangling from his hands. He could still see the blood on her shirt. The spots where she'd bled from her nose and mouth. It sickened him; but more importantly, it infuriated him.<p>

When she finally appeared in the hall, he sprang to attention like a bodyguard. She gave him a weak smile and grasped his arm, allowing him to guide her all the way out to the car. He would have carried her if she'd asked. But her legs were fine. It was everything else, it seemed, that needed bandages.

Thankfully, Greg didn't arrive as they left. Joey bitterly figured he was busy. Too busy for Danny when she really needed him, and no help when she didn't. Settling her into the car, he'd kept his angry thoughts to himself. She brought the hood of her zip-up jacket over her head, and tucked into the door as they drove home. He didn't pry. It was hard to even think of words, but it killed him to remain silent, watching her silently cry.

Even inside the apartment, she didn't put the hood down. She retreated to the bedroom and buried herself in the comforter. He didn't know what to do. So he just watched from the door, clutching the frame with a death grip.

* * *

><p>The plan was risky. Helen didn't like it, but it was good. Similar to charging into Bones' shop, it was a dangerous maneuver. But there was no talking Billy out of it. After all, it was his ass on the line this time around. Not hers. He'd emphasized that. She was to disappear.<p>

Play weak.

That was the part that she hated. For this plan to work, she had to hide. Retreat into a shell like a frightened turtle. She'd argued with him for a long time against it. And they'd nearly thrown punches in frustration with each other. But they worked better together rather than apart; they'd discovered that the hard way.

It wasn't that she didn't trust the plan. She knew it would work if Billy pulled through. And she trusted him. It felt weird to admit that, but she had. Several times. His pride had swelled when she'd relinquished her trust. And he'd taken her off guard, playfully asking for her to put the acknowledgement in writing. Her response had been less than playful.

But, in the end, they'd come up with a solid plot, just before the sun peeked over the horizon. They parted with a tired agreement. And she'd driven home alone.

When she got there, she hesitated at the front door. Opening it revealed an empty living room. Sid was nowhere in sight. With a sigh, she'd debated going to bed and forgetting everything. She was exhausted mentally and physically; but she knew she couldn't go to sleep like this. Not when her best friend was avoiding her, and angry. He hated Billy, and she'd kept the truth from her right hand. That was worse than letting him get shot for her. Staring at her living room, Helen chewed her lip, debating what to do. Then with an exasperated grunt, she re-zipped her jacket and stepped outside, slamming the door.

* * *

><p>He'd burned through almost half a pack of smokes and he didn't plan on stopping any time soon. Every time Sid worked himself to a calm place, he'd remember the words that Bones Darley had said. <em>No wonder Billy double dipped. The motel on Stewart. <em>Then he'd grimace and light another, fighting away the images in his head.

Helen had never been a sexual being to him. Their relationship had always been platonic and he saw her as Helen, not Helen the woman. The woman with needs, apparently. And it made him nervous, realizing there was a part of her he didn't know. She'd been sleeping with Billy Darley, more than once, and he would have never guessed. Hell, he would have sworn on his uncle Ricky's grave to the contrary. But the look on her face when he'd pushed for an answer gave him more than he'd needed to know. Not only did Helen trust Billy irrationally, there was something there. They were screwing behind everybody's backs and carrying on with life like nothing was out of place. Sid knew she could compartmentalize, but even Helen wouldn't be able to withstand the emotion involved. She'd been afraid of relationships for far too long as a child; this had definitely put a dent in her Teflon feelings.

"Ya keep chain smoking like that, you're gonna pass out walkin' back to your car." Her voice was joking, but he heard a quiet peace offering in her tone as well. Sid didn't even turn his head to acknowledge her, afraid of rattling off the bitter words that still swirled in his head. She proceeded anyway, silently sitting next to him on the rotting bench outside the car wash. The rest of the crew had cleared out hours ago, watching Sid from afar in fear of breaking his angry meditation. Even Kade had left without a parting quip, settling instead for a soft pat on his older brother's shoulder.

"Did they move Neil?" She asked in a murmur, watching her hands as she picked beneath the nails. He took a long, hard breath and looked at her, praying his self-control would save him from blurting everything he felt.

"I always thought of ya as a sister." Her face fell and he realized then how tired she was. The color of her cheeks was almost a grayish shade of white and bags had started to form under her eyes. She was younger than he, but in that moment, she looked much older.

"You're my best friend, Sid." She whispered back, eyeing the arm he had tucked into his side. He fought the angry grimace on his face, closing his eyes for a moment.

"But ya trust Darley more than me." He could hear the hardening of her expression and her breathing became angry. But she didn't speak for several seconds.

"When I was fourteen, I lost my virginity to Billy Darley in the back of an Oldsmobile." His eyes snapped open and widened as he turned to face her. Helen was stone serious, watching as she continued. "We both wanted Stokely and he asked me to run with him." Sid opened his mouth and she cut him off with a turn of her head. "Granted, we were kids, but it meant something." He swallowed and she gave a soft sigh. "Still does." They were both quiet, letting the words settle in the early morning sun.

"I've never told anyone that." She said softly. He snorted and shook his head, taking a drag as he looked away.

"You're only tellin' me cuz Bones spilled your secret."

"My business is my fuckin' business, Sid. That goes for you and Billy and anybody else." She thundered at him, her signature rage flaring with each passing syllable. "I told ya cuz I wanted to."

"He's an asshole." Sid muttered, avoiding her gaze. Helen let out a soft snort and he spotted the anger receding from her eyes.

"I'm aware." She replied, softening her expression. "But I like him." Sid sighed, realizing his hatred of Billy would get him nowhere in an argument with Helen. She was set in her ways.

"I'm going home." She stood as she murmured, looming and waiting for a response. He finished a long drag on his cigarette and flicked it to join the others scattered on the ground.

"You're buyin' me breakfast first." He grumbled, standing to follow her to the Jeep. Helen grinned a little, shoving his good shoulder as they walked side by side.

"Like hell I am. Buy your own fuckin' breakfast." They exchanged a small smile and then silently walked to the car.

* * *

><p>Crying was stupid. Joey kept saying it over and over again in his head. But it didn't help the bitter stinging in the corners of his eyes as he smoked in the living room. He was clouding up the entire room, and was probably going to get them evicted, but he couldn't go outside when he was tearing up like this. With a swipe of his hand, he rid himself of another fat tear before it managed to leave his eye. No way was he going to cry.<p>

But the guilt festering in his gut had finally imploded, poisoning him from within. Images of Danny's body on the bar and her face when she'd awoken, terrified and in pain, lashed out at him like tangible monsters, furious at him for even breathing when he'd allowed such atrocities to occur to the woman he loved. Now she wouldn't even talk to him. His face crumpled in pain and he smashed his cigarette into the ashtray, bringing his hands up to cover his eyes.

"Joey?" His hands dropped like stones and he stared at her with wide eyes. She hadn't moved all day, sleeping from the time they'd come home until the sun had started to dip back down on the horizon. But there she was, crossing the living room bundled in sweatpants and a hoodie. "Joey." She said it like a secret the second time, ghosting the words from her lips as she moved quicker at the pain on his face. In a matter of seconds, she was in his lap, folding his head into her chest.

"I'm sorry." He whispered into her neck, gently holding her to his body. "Danny, I'm so sorry." She hushed him with strokes to his hair, kissing his temple with her bruised lips.

"It's alright. I'm alright." He looked up into her eyes and she saw the hurt, filling him with anguish. She'd never seen him cry, and it bothered her seeing it now. Not her Joey; he was too strong. "Remember what you said to me, when I was scared?" He swallowed and she wiped away the tears that had spilled from the corners of his eyes.

"No." He said with a heavy exhale, releasing the tension in his chest. Danny managed a small smile, fighting past the stiffness in her face.

"You said, 'It's alright. We're fine.'" It was the first time she had ever had to be strong for him. He was always her protector, her white knight. But it was that very thing that had brought him crashing down: he'd been unable to save her from a brutal attack. It was tearing him apart, as much as it was crippling her in fear. Seeing him this way, however, had snapped her back to focus. It wasn't just about her anymore. "**We** are fine." She repeated. "You and me."

"But you're not fine." He said gently, stroking a finger over her cheek. The skin was unmarked, but she felt a wave of self-conscious suddenly. As she'd gotten into the car to come home, she'd seen herself in the rearview mirror. Her face was a disgusting splash of black and purple bruises, swollen and distorted. She couldn't bear to have him look at her since, and now the feeling was resurfacing. As if he sensed her hesitation, he turned her back to meet her eyes. "You're hurt and it's my fault." Studying his eyes, she saw the love in them, the torture of seeing her pain, and she felt a wave of passion flood her. This man, a ruthless, angry soul, cared about her more than to give a rat's ass about a few bruises. Joey loved her ferociously. Another grin lifted her lips and a tear rolled down her cheek.

"Bruises heal, Joey. Bones mend." She murmured. "We're together and that's what counts." He kissed her forehead and pulled her into his chest, encompassing her in his long arms. They stayed that way for almost an hour, Danny falling into a light sleep in his embrace.

"You told me ya never wanted me killin' for ya." Joey suddenly ended the silence and broke her slumber. Groggily, she stirred and wrapped her arms around his chest, nuzzling closer in a silent response. "I'm killin' the fuck that hurt ya." He hissed quietly. Danny merely stroked his peck with a finger.

"Good."

* * *

><p><strong>Leave 'em. =)<strong>


	20. Chapter 20

**I literally had no plans on writing this today…but I heard "Party Rock Anthem" and suddenly, I had to write this sequence. You don't even want to know how many times I listened to that song while I was writing this. ;) Club scene anyone? Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>He remembered when he used to go into the city. The clubs were the shit back then, and he'd spend the entire night drinking away his thoughts. Billy recalled the memory with a twitch of a grin.<p>

The city girls were always hot. They could afford the fake tanning and magazines that taught them the gym was their best friend. Their bodies were stunning, almost unrealistic, like models from music videos. But they were everywhere and begging for attention, not a figment of the imagination. Billy would only have to take a hold of one and she'd toss a sly smile over her shoulder and let him do what he wanted. The music made the girls animals, more so than anywhere else. Here, they would lift their skirts so they could grind on anything male. Here, they were the ones who acted like horny idiots.

And the men just let them.

He thought about ducking into the crowd for a moment. In a matter of minutes he'd be pressed up against a stunning specimen of the fairer sex and his shirt would be clinging to his chest from the heat while her hands went everywhere. It was tempting.

But he wasn't here for fun tonight. Not really.

Parting the bodies around him was a lot like walking in cement. Nobody did anything easily and Billy was getting irritated with each step. Brushing became shoving and Bodie was smirking behind his friend, watching girls stumble forwards as they stepped by. One suddenly grabbed his wrist and Billy stopped, watching as she planted a hard kiss on Bodie's lips. He didn't resist her, but eventually pushed her away with a large grin on his face. Billy only rolled his eyes and pressed on. Clubs were crazy. You just had to have a dick and you could get laid.

Wild was one of the larger clubs in downtown Boston. It was one story and the entire front room was a massive dance floor where people writhed against each other. The bar was in the back room where booths lined the walls. The counter sat in the middle of the layout, double sided and manned with four bartenders. It was extremely busy and people were leaning over the circular bar, waving bills around in attempts to get attention. All the while, girls in tiny tops and tight, black pants were filling trays of mixed drink orders and vanishing into the VIP section. The last part of the club. Billy knew it was going to be an obstacle, but he was done planning. He was getting in, one way or another.

Bodie was at his side when they stepped up to the bouncer guarding the curtained doorway.

"Name?" The large man grunted, eyeing Billy's tattoos and Bodie's biceps as he crossed his arms over his chest. Without blinking, Billy pulled three bills from his jacket's breast pocket and held them between two fingers in front of the man's face.

"Benjamin Franklin." He growled back. The bouncer studied the money for a moment, then snatched it and stepped aside. Bodie smirked a little as they tossed the curtain and entered the darkness.

* * *

><p>"Shit." Baggy was groaning, grinding ferociously into the perfect ass in his hands. He'd been hard the second he'd walked inside the sweaty building. The bass, the beat, and the dark were a lethal combination to his senses. He was aroused beyond return. Regardless of how, he was going to finish what he'd started, whether it was in his jeans, or the men's bathroom.<p>

"Hey shithead, we gotta move." Heco appeared and smacked Baggy's shoulder lightly, nodding towards the back of the club. Baggy nearly decked him.

"I'll be there in a sec." He snarled, ignoring his friend in favor of the throbbing cock in his jeans.

"Bill and Bodie just went inside, we gotta move." Heco shot back, taking a handful of his friend's shirt and tugging it tight against his throat. "You can blow your load another time." Clamping his eyes closed, Baggy reluctantly released the girl's hips and backed away, following Heco into the bar area of the club.

"I hate your fuckin' guts." He hissed as they moved around the crowd waiting for drinks. "I'm gonna be blue for a week." Heco shook his head and tried to hide the grin on his face.

"You'll be fine. Just do what all the other losers do, jerk off into a magazine." Baggy shot him an angry frown.

"Shut up." Heco laughed to himself and lit a cigarette. Heroin had a way of diminishing his sexual appetite and tonight it was coming in handy. Otherwise, he'd be in the same boat as Baggy, blinded by hormones after a long day selling. Baggy was grumbling under his breath, trying to stand comfortably as they took up a spot, watching the VIP entrance with casual glances. They couldn't go inside, but they needed to be there in case something happened. Billy didn't want to reveal all his cards, so they hung back.

"Hi." A blonde appeared in front of Heco and he nodded, avoiding her eyes. "You two together?" Suddenly he was paying full attention to the busty girl batting her lashes at him. His head whipped to the side to catch Baggy's eye and they exchanged a disgusted look.

"Fuck no." He growled to her, standing up straighter. "We aren't fags." She bit a lip and grinned at them.

"Well…I've always wanted two guys at once." Baggy swallowed hard and Heco's stomach flopped. "Ya know?" She was playing with them with a dazzling smile, twirling a piece of her hair on a finger.

"Yeah, I get it." Heco muttered, trying to fight against the carnal desire her words inspired. He'd been in a three way once, and he'd been the only male. Two men and a woman wasn't exactly a fantasy, but it wasn't an unappetizing option either. She stood on her tiptoes and leaned into his ear, her darkly tanned chest pressing into his pecks.

"Is your cock as big as your friend's?" Heco forced himself to take deep breaths, staring over her shoulder at the VIP curtain. _You can't. You can't. You can't. _

"We're waitin' for somebody." He grunted, forcing away the images of his hard dick in this girl's mouth.

"Then do ya wanna watch me with him?" She cooed, tracing a nail over his arm, grinning over at Baggy. Heco took a hold of her stray hand by the wrist, moving it roughly.

"I aint gay." He snarled. Her face didn't waver. In fact, his harsh reply seemed to feed her desire.

"Good. Then prove it to me, right now." Her palm flattened over his crotch and suddenly he was painfully aware of the erection pressed into his fly. It would be so easy, just a quick screw in a bathroom stall. He'd be fast, he'd be rough, and he'd be back before Billy needed him.

"We're waitin' for our girls." Baggy piped up, stepping closer to Heco's shoulder. The blonde's face fell and her hand disappeared.

"Your loss." She muttered. "I woulda rocked your world." Then she sauntered away, casting the two men one last lustful glance.

"Jesus." Heco breathed, relieved and infuriated at the same time. His cock was pulsing in his pants and now he was going to deal with it for the rest of the night.

"Now ya know how I feel." Baggy grunted, readjusting his jeans for a sixth time. Heco ground his teeth and did the same, swallowing back a groan when his cock rubbed against the denim.

This was going to be a long night.

* * *

><p>The VIP section was very dimly lit. And for a good reason. There were women everywhere, some topless, giving lap dances for wealthy men in their private booths. They were the quality kind of dancers, fit and gorgeous, enough to make Billy envious of the fat fuckers underneath them. Unfortunately, he had a code. He didn't pay for it. No strippers and no hookers. Unlike the assholes slipping bills into the G-strings all over the room, Billy was able to pick up girls on his own. He would never let that ability go to waste.<p>

Most of the booths were filled with white, balding and chubby men. Probably politicians and judges, using their pull to get into the exclusive places. Billy was careful to avoid eye contact with all of them. He never knew who could see and recognize him from a mug shot. Thankfully, the decision to shave his head made his most recent mug shot unrecognizable. Without the dark blond locks, he looked ten years older and much scarier. Regardless, he didn't peer into the booths as he walked towards the back. He was sticking to the plan. His life depended on it.

The Russian was easy to pick out. He was younger than the rest of the patrons, smiling and charismatic as he draped both arms over two blonde women, both topless, who sat on either side of him. There were a few men sitting around him, but they were older and rougher. He was surrounded by the thug's union. Two other dancers distracted the majority, but a large man quickly intercepted Billy anyway.

"I wanna meet your boss." Billy let his accent thicken and his eyes burn as he growled at the man. This was his city and he was going to show the foreigners who they'd messed with.

"Ilia, who is your friend?" The young man called, sitting up on the couch and removing his arms from the two girls. Billy's heart picked up at his accent. Thick Russian.

"Ya fuckin' know who I am." He snarled, looking the bodyguard, Ilia, in the eyes. It was only one eye, actually. His face had once been as handsome as his boss', but a long scar ran from his hairline through his left eye, ending at the corner of his mouth. His ruined eye was clouded and fixed in one direction, looking past Billy's shoulder while the other trained on his face.

The young man chuckled through his nose a little, then laid back. With a flick of his finger, he waved the girls and his other guards out of the seats.

"Ishhite ih, Ilia." Billy didn't need to speak Russian to know what came next. Ilia reached forward and Billy raised his arms, allowing the man a little room to pat his sides and back. He had expected the pat down. No one trusted you when you walked onto their turf unannounced. So his handy knife was tucked into his boot, ready if he really needed it.

When Ilia was done running his hands all over Billy's legs, he moved to Bodie and repeated the motion. Then he moved to the side, allowing them entrance to the large, semi-circle booth. The young man in the middle smiled and gestured for them to sit, his arms draped along the back of the couch.

"I vas vondering when you'd drop in to see me, Mr. Darley." Billy sniffed at the title, but made no mention of the displeasure it brought him.

"Ya know my name, but I don't know yours." He said with a dangerous glare, trying to intimidate the Russian with his own fake manners. After a few moments of thought, the young man grinned and motioned for a waitress. Billy couldn't help but notice the girl blush at his attention.

"You may call me Andrei." He stated, whispering into the girl's ear when she bent to his level. He was shorter than Billy, but well muscled, pale with dyed black hair. His face was like Ilia's, strikingly handsome with dark brown eyes. "I vas hoping to meet you vhen I met your father." He added, crossing his legs to turn in Billy's direction.

"So you could shoot me personally?" Billy growled. He wasn't in the mood for pleasantries. He had a name, now it was down to business. Andrei rubbed two fingers together and studied Billy's angry expression before he let out a small sigh.

"I must admit, I vas disappointed vhen I had to do that." He glanced at his nails, as if he was suddenly alarmed at the sight of his cuticles. Then he tisked and met Billy's eyes again. "But I don't like it vhen people kill my men."

"I haven't touched any of ya fuckin' guys." Billy snapped. "That isn't my work." Andrei nodded and smiled slightly.

"Yes yes, it is this woman, Gates. She likes to send men to their graves in pieces, yes?" Bodie snorted a little and nodded.

"Yeh, she likes to play doctor with 'em." Billy grinned at the damper Bodie's comment put on Andrei's mood. The man's smile faded and he blinked slowly.

"So I've seen." He said flatly. "But you are partners, if I'm not mistaken." Billy's smile disappeared entirely.

"You're mixin' up business and pleasure, Andrei." Then he plastered a cocky grin on his lips. "I fuck 'er. Doesn't mean I clean up 'er messes." Andrei returned the smile and laughed through his nose.

"She is a beautiful woman, I've seen her." Billy shrugged and leaned back on the couch.

"She's a decent piece of ass. I figure, ya run whores, ya bound ta pick up a few tricks." Andrei let out a more substantial laugh and shook a finger.

"Good vords, Mr. Darley." Then he shook his head and sighed. "I am sure you're right." Billy was starting to breathe better when Andrei's eyes flashed with a warning and he lost his friendly smile. "But that doesn't change the fact that you helped her kill my men."

"I told ya. I didn't touch your fuckin' men." Billy hissed, leaning forward. "But I'll start helpin' Gates out if ya try killin' me again." Andrei and Billy glared at each other, silently squaring as the music pulsed in the background. The waitress returned and made her way to Andrei, smiling suggestively when she held out the tray. Chutes of champagne bubbled on the silver plate and Andrei changed expression in a fraction of a second, smiling pleasantly to the woman as he removed a glass.

"Champagne?" She offered to Billy and he stared at the dainty glasses, thoroughly uninterested in holding something so girly. But, after a second, he took a glass with a nod, gripping it by the lip to avoid the tiny stem. Bodie didn't hesitate to take two, holding one in each hand with a cocky grin to the waitress. When she left, Billy downed the fizzy drink and set the glass aside in a matter of seconds. Andrei sipped and relaxed, silently watching him before he leaned forward and spoke.

"So you vant a truce Mr. Darley? Is that right?" Billy shook his head.

"Truces don't mean shit." He leaned an elbow on top of the black couch, facing Andrei in an equally cocky position. "I want ta make a business deal."

* * *

><p>She was really bored. Sitting in a car and waiting was not her gig. Helen was a woman of action, not sitting. But tonight required for her to wait. Kade shifted in the passenger's seat and sighed. With a roll of her head, Helen looked at him.<p>

"Sorry ta make ya work so hard, Kade." He rolled his eyes.

"I could be gettin' laid right now, Hell." She snorted and shook her head. Kade was the second youngest in her gang. He had joined when he was only seventeen, showing up on her corner looking for his brother. Kade looked up to Sid but would never admit he needed him. When Sid had left to run with Helen, it had taken Kade only three weeks to follow. Ever since, he'd been like a little brother to Helen. "Tiff had it all planned out. We were gonna have the place ta ourselves. No kid." Helen chewed a lip.

"She's got a kid?" He nodded.

"With her ex. A girl." Helen nodded and watched Kade play with the front of his hair.

"Ya like 'er?" Kade laughed and glanced over at her.

"No, Hell. I hate her." She shoved his shoulder, grinning. But, inside, she was a little shocked by his response. She had told Billy she hated him more times than she could count and Kade's sarcasm had made her words sound crueler than she'd ever intended. "Yeah I like her. She's funny and tough." Then he flashed Helen a toothy grin. "Like you, Hell." She raised her eyebrow and he cackled.

"Watch what ya say next, kid." She teased, shaking her head and looking back out the window. They were in a busy parking structure, on the top floor so they could see down onto the street. They'd driven Kade's crappy 1998 Toyota Camry, avoiding any attention a bullet-riddled Jeep would have drawn in. "Don't care who ya are, I'll still hurt ya." He grinned and slouched further in the seat.

Helen thought about the plan. The next twenty-four hours would be critical. If anything went wrong, many lives could be lost. She glanced at Kade.

"Neil was goin' ta get his girl when we were gunned down." Kade turned his head and frowned.

"He had a girl?" Helen crossed her eyes and shook her head.

"He was fuckin' Gianna." Kade made a face and let out a snort.

"Really?"

"He liked her too." Helen added, looking into Kade's eyes with another meaning entirely. His silly expression faded until he finally straightened up, realizing her intent.

"Hell, I'm not afraid of dyin. Not if it protects my friends." She nodded, accepting his proclamation in silence. Kade huffed and tugged on the collar of his jacket. "Tiff was in that bar, ya know." Helen closed her eyes for a second, remembering the shooting at the Four Roses.

"Yeah, I know." Kade was quiet for a long time, the car filling with their breaths.

"I like her a lot." Helen looked down at the street, glancing at the clock. They'd been inside for almost an hour.

"I know."

* * *

><p>"So you vant my girls?" Andrei asked, hands intertwined in his lap. Billy gestured lazily with one hand, hiding the irritation at repeating himself. He'd explained his proposition, but apparently Andrei didn't buy it. So he summarized.<p>

"I kill Hell. She's half dead anyway and she trusts me. So, I kill 'er. Then you're free ta move ya girls and I run a couple, we split the profits." Billy sat back with a small shrug. "I need some new business ta overtake the old man. Tired of his shit." Andrei grinned mischievously and sat, sipping his champagne for a while. Then he nodded.

"Understood." Then he shot forward, speaking quieter. "That is why I came here. My uncle is in charge in Russia." Then he grinned and Billy forced himself to mimic the expression. "Here, I'm in charge." Sitting back again, Andrei snapped his fingers.

"NIKA!" A blonde girl rose from across the room, walking over quickly at his call. Billy watched while grinding his jaw, her breasts bouncing freely as she sashayed to their couch.

"She is my best." Andrei said quickly before gesturing toward Billy. "Dajte emu tanec." Before Billy could even read into the expressions and body language, Nika walked up to him and stroked his thighs with both hands, settling him back on the couch. Bodie's eyes widened and he drank a little more champagne, watching hungrily as she turned and started to dance on Billy's lap.

Andrei watched as Billy silently stared at the blonde grinding him. Unlike the girls at the Four Roses, this girl was gorgeous. She was young, thin, tan, with a pretty face and tight, round breasts. She was mouthwatering and Billy found himself hardening in his jeans as she gyrated over his crotch. It was fantastic, the sight of her ass and the black thong atop the cheeks. He had to work to keep his hands to himself, enjoying the dance with a serious expression. As she glided over his stiff dick, Billy forced his mind away, taking his eyes off her ass and focusing on anything else. His eyes fell on the back of her thigh. Just above her knee a scar was raised from the skin, light in contrast to her tanned complexion. It was a burn. But the mark formed a symbol: the profile of a naked woman. It was no bigger than a half-dollar coin, but it was easy to see. She was branded. Suddenly, the enjoyment he'd gained from her touching his crotch ebbed. No matter how horny he was he never wanted a pro. It was a personal promise; he liked to conquer the free ones. He liked them willing.

"Nika, take Mr. Darley in the back." Billy met Andrei's eyes and the man smiled. "Much more private." When she stood and looked at him, Billy fought with himself. He needed to gain Andrei's trust, but he didn't want to fuck a slave. That's what she was, one of the slaves Andrei was moving through the city. A prostitute was one thing, but a trapped and branded woman was another. "You can't sell vithout testing the product." Andrei said with a smirk, waiting for Billy's reaction. After a long moment, he gave a curt nod and followed the girl to the VIP private rooms.

The room was painted black and a couch sat in the middle of the floor. It seemed to have been designed for moments like these, patrons who wanted to satiate their needs while the rest of the population grinded outside.

Nika stripped her thong and started to knead her breasts with her hands, watching Billy's face for a reaction. He gave her none. If he didn't fuck her, he'd have a problem on his hands. He wanted to; he was male after all. But even he, a criminal, didn't like the way 'slave' resounded in his head.

"Is good?" She asked with a puzzled pout, laying back on the couch and spreading her knees. Her thong was gone but the garter remained, painting an erotic picture that every man fantasized about. Billy swallowed and stepped closer, unzipping his jeans without a word. He was still incredibly hard; his body was excited and it bothered him that his thoughts had started to drift towards enjoyable as well.

"Turn over." He ordered gruffly, pulling his thick cock from his fly. Nika eyed his erection for a second.

"I can suck." She stated, looking up into his face. He didn't know whether he should be insulted or complimented. It was all too confusing. Thinking for a moment, he nodded and she sunk to her knees in front of him, wrapping her hand around his girth. The view of her breasts and mouth made him breathe faster and he fought a deep hum when she swallowed him whole in a single bob.

He didn't touch her. It felt wrong to weave his fingers in her hair, or press on her head. All the normal things he did felt too intimate, even though they really weren't. Billy wished to distance himself as much as possible, but even then he loved every second.

Her mouth was warm and her throat would close around his head, making him hiss air through his nostrils. She moved fast, sucking him like she wanted his cock, thirsted for his release. When she'd worked him for several minutes, she rocked back onto her knees and pumped him furiously with her hand, making him flex in pleasure before she slowed.

"Pussy?" She said it with a perplexed look on her face and Billy was disgusted. He didn't let her see it, but it swept through him in a wave. Here he was, ready to cum in this girl, and she probably only knew seven words of English. One of them being pussy. But he forced the thought away, nodding yet again. Without another word, she bounded up on the couch and remembered his instruction, getting on all fours. He was grateful she didn't try anything else. It was getting hard to even look at her face, so the position was a relief.

Walking up behind her, he adjusted her hips, widening her stance until he could see the lips hanging below the cusp of her ass. She was perfectly formed and it bothered him that such a fine piece was working this way. The girl would make a fortune as a porn star. With a single finger, he probed the soft, hairless petals and discovered she was warm, but not nearly as wet as he'd hoped. Avoiding her imploring face, he slowly pumped the finger in and out of her, gently stroking the spot hidden inside her walls. He knew the female body well enough; he could get her wet. As he continued, she started to rock slightly, her hips meeting his hand as she ground into each stroke.

"Good." She moaned the word with her feathery voice and he forgot himself for a moment, looking up at her face. Her eyelids were drooped in genuine pleasure, mouth open with slightly labored breaths. Adding a second, he worked her up to a constant hum, her body glossing his fingers. Then he stepped forward and abandoned the task, taking her hips in both hands as he guided his dick to the wet slit between her thighs.

She let out a whine as he slid inside, reaching back to grasp his leg with a hand. Billy focused on the outcome then, quickly setting a rigorous pace while the blonde moaned, whined, and gasped with each thrust. He beat his thighs into her ass, jolting her body with each impact. Her voice egged him on, but his mind tried to separate them. This was wrong, even in his book.

It didn't take long to finish; she was tight and he fucked her hard. At one point, she'd worked up to a loud whine, letting her head fall forward as she cried out. Her orgasm took him by surprise, but he'd enjoyed the pumps of her body, milking his throbbing dick. When he was almost done, he pulled out and she sucked him to finish.

* * *

><p>He was trying to limit himself, but it was taking too long. He'd been standing at the bar for almost an hour and a half and his anxiety was making him crazy. So Sid had just given in and bought another Scotch when he saw one of Darley's goons pull a girl flush against his body and start sucking her face off. He froze with the glass halfway to his mouth and watched the blond man consume the girl in his embrace. Here he was, worried about having a third drink when Darley's men were getting off? Sid tossed the drink back with an angry roll of his eyes, but flinched when his shoulder pulled under his jacket. He set the glass down gently and adjusted his arm. Unable to wear a sling, he was trying to keep his arm still.<p>

Kwan had dressed him. Sid liked the kid, but his "club scene" fashion sense was extremely out of whack. He was the youngest of the Hall, only nineteen. But his background in martial arts and extremely high IQ had landed him a spot in Helen's crew without much trouble. But none of those things gave him insight into style. However, Kwan had insisted, citing his age as credibility enough to know what he was talking about.

Sid adjusted the hat on his head and had to bite back a grunt. He looked ridiculous.

Just then, his phone rang. Pulling the buzzing device out slowly, Sid grumbled into the receiver.

"Yes dear?" Helen's snort was a mixture of amusement and boredom.

"Are they all dead or are ya just having too much fun in there?" Sid glanced down at the jeans that clung to his muscular legs. Apparently they were supposed to be that tight.

"I'm havin' a fuckin' blast, hun." He took another gulp of Scotch as Helen sighed in his ear.

"Cut the shit ya grumpy bastard. You're the one who didn't want Kade in there, remember?" Sid swallowed the liquid and closed his eyes. She was right. He'd insisted on going into Wild himself. Otherwise, he'd be in the parking garage with Helen, in a sling and normal jeans.

"No word yet, darling. But I'll be home soon as I can." She snorted.

"You're a prick." Just as he was ready to hang up, a swish of black curtain caught his eye and he straightened as Darley and his men formed a group and parted the crowd. But just before they vanished from sight, Sid and Darley locked eyes. Then the gang leader nodded, ducking into the club. "Sid? Are ya there?"

"I've got a green light, baby. I'm headed home."

* * *

><p><strong>Finally play count…63. Oh my. O_O More to come soon.<br>Big MASSIVE love to Cherie and Sparkly! And, of course, love to my faithfuls.**


	21. Chapter 21

"You know, we should probably have this conversation face ta face. Phones can be tapped."

Helen's retort was a short laugh, and it made Billy smile. He could almost see her, rolling her eyes at him. Driving slowly through the dark streets of Boston, he listened to the phone pinned between his head and shoulder.

"Darley, this isn't mission impossible. That stupid Russian can't tap a fuckin' prepaid." Running his tongue over his front teeth, he allowed himself to externally enjoy her banter. It was a relief, being alone in his Mustang while he unwound from Wild. He didn't have to pretend when he was alone. He could smile or laugh; he could even make faces if he wanted to. No one would judge him. Not even Helen. All she could scrutinize was his voice, and that he could control.

"Do ya want me ta beg, Hell?" Her laugh was lower, in the back of her throat.

"Don't give me ideas." He snorted, shaking his head. Forever difficult. Then again, he wouldn't like her if she were any different.

"You're meeting me, baby." There was a long pause, and he wished he could see her face. He only called her that mid-orgasm, and the term would surely make her think along those lines. After what he had done at Wild, he craved Helen, although he wasn't sure why.

"Too risky." Her reply was short and curt, killing his mood and dismissing his wishes. "You're supposed to kill me, remember? I can't be seen ducking into the backdoor of the Four Roses." Billy snorted.

"I was thinking along the lines of Motel 6." He tried again, and Helen went silent. The streetlights blurred together as he pressed his foot to the floor. Her silence was worse than a refusal.

"Where." She was murmuring, even though he'd ensured that she was alone in her car. Her boys were all dropped off and she had told him she was going home. Instantly an abandoned apartment he used as a backup sell spot popped into his head.

"19 East Camden." He purred.

"I'll be there in five." She sounded as ready as he was, their chemistry thick even over a phone.

"Make it four." He growled back, snapping the phone closed before she could answer.

* * *

><p>Andrei watched Billy Darley leave, his hands drumming noiselessly on the back of the couch. He had to admit, Darley's ballsy move was impressive. Most of Andrei's opponents had hidden away, lingering in the shadows like cowards. Then again, all of his opponents were dead. He'd let Billy Darley walk out alive.<p>

But he had no intention of letting that last much longer. Nika returned, like the good pet she was, and curled up beside him, nestled into his shoulder. He didn't mind the neediness anymore. After the loyalty she'd shown him in the past, he let her have the little things. Running a finger over her right arm, he found the long scar. It was almost invisible most days, but he knew just where to find it. He'd been the one to snap the bone after all.

"Ilia." He murmured the word lazily, hooking an arm around Nika's neck. She slid closer and whispered kisses over his jaw, mewing ever so softly. When she got this way, he knew it had been too long. She needed reminding. Speaking in Russian, he traced a finger over her lips.

"_You like your time with Darley?"_ Purring, she took the length of his finger into her mouth, nibbling the tip when she pulled it out again. Insatiable. It'd been much too long.

Ilia stood watching, saying nothing as Andrei played. Oh how he loved to play in front of him.

"_Cousin. I wonder if you could do me a favor."_ Ilia straightened, knowing all to well what Andrei would say next. _"Perhaps you could learn to kill the people I send you to kill." _

"_This isn't Russia, Andrei. The police aren't bought and paid for here." _Andrei pulled Nika closer, slipping his tongue into her mouth. She greedily accepted him, sucking on his tongue with need. When he pulled away, he placed his finger to her lips and she sucked on it, bobbing her head to indulge the entire length.

"_Perhaps then, you could find me someone who knows how to shoot straight." _He hissed the words with malice, his eyes frighteningly sharp as he glared at his cousin. Nika ran a hand over his chest, mewing quietly as his voice increased in volume. He took her hand and roughly tossed it away, shoving a second finger into her mouth.

"_When the rest of the men arrive—" _Andrei shot from the couch when Ilia started in on his newest response. Glaring furiously, the men stared eye to eye.

"_When the rest of the men arrive, I will see to it that you are sent back." _He snarled. _"I should have known you would fail me." _When he sat again, Nika weaved her arms around his neck, purring little moans into his ear. Pushing her face away, Andrei continued to stare at Ilia, disgust replacing his fury. _"I should take your other eye for this. One little girl, Ilia. ONE little girl." _Ilia bit down on his jaw, dipping his head in the most respect he could muster.

"_I deserve whatever punishment you see fit." _He muttered, training his good eye on the floor. Andrei smirked.

"_Careful, cousin." _Ilia looked up, watching as Nika kissed Andrei's jaw. _"History could repeat itself."_ He smirked and glanced at Ilia's ruined eye, briefly remembering his cousin's scream. _"Get the car." _Ilia bowed once again, stalking off. Turning back to his pet, Andrei tilted her chin with a finger.

"_Do you want to watch the video?" _She nodded emphatically, rubbing his shoulders with both her hands. _"Do you?" _

"_Please. Let me watch." _He grinned, glancing over her shoulder at the waitress. She caught his eye and blushed, hurrying away with a tray. His charming smile turned to a predatory sneer.

"_You've been bad, Nika." _She nodded again, mewing when he trailed his lips over her cheek. _"Very bad."_

"_Please."_ She whimpered, caressing the bulge in his pants. _"Punish me."_

* * *

><p>She was struggling to breathe when he brought her to the edge again. Arms over her head, Helen clung to the side of the couch, screaming from sensation. Her body was still wracked from the previous two climaxes and her nerves were begging for mercy. But Billy was still ruthlessly sucking and licking at the tender flesh between her thighs. He'd practically ripped her panties off of her the moment she'd shown up at the mysterious address, but she wasn't complaining. He had been giving her head for almost ten minutes.<p>

"Billy wait!" Her cries were panted and desperate, but she was too far-gone to care. "I want you inside me, wait!" His fingers dug into her hips and he responded with a growl, pulling her closer to his mouth. But he made no move to stop. "BILLY!"

"No." He snarled the word against her, flicking his tongue before he dove back between her thighs.

"Please." She wasn't above begging either, apparently. "Billy, please." Her chest heaved as she forced the pathetic plead from her lips. His fingers filled her and she arched off the couch, arms flexing as she screamed. It was so good; it was too good. "Billy, I want you with me!"

"No." Refuse her once, fine. Refuse her twice…Helen knew something was very off. Though he continued to rigorously stimulate her, she forced herself to concentrate. His eyes were closed and his brows were tilted in a frown.

"Billy, what the fuck." Pushing on his bald scalp, she forced him away and sat up, panting with pending release and exhaustion. But both those things were on hold as she studied his face. He wouldn't open his eyes. His mouth was red and glossy, lips parted as he panted gently for air. "What's wrong?" Eyes still closed, he looked like a monk, sitting back on his knees as he said nothing. "Are ya gonna fuck me?" Helen didn't want to sound needy, but his actions had her worried and she let the girlish insecurity out into the open.

"I don't have a condom." He muttered. Helen snorted, flopping back onto the couch.

"Bill, ya know that doesn't bother me." She was more than protected from pregnancy and trusted Billy wouldn't give her a disease. Her heart stopped. Unless…

"I need one." He said it softly and Helen's stomach curdled. The only reason he'd insist is if he'd been with someone…recently.

"The fuck are ya sayin'?" She whispered, sitting up to glare into his face. When his eyes opened and his irises flashed with anger, Helen almost fell back on the sofa out of surprise.

"I haven't had a chance to shower." Her body shivered. _I haven't had a chance to shower since I finished inside the last girl. _In an instant, Helen was livid. Here she was, spread eagle on a ratty couch at Billy's beck and call and she wasn't even the first he'd had that night.

"You son of a bitch." She hissed at him, swinging her legs around to stand up. His hand caught her elbow and she reacted without a second thought. Her fist balled up and slammed into his jaw, dropping him back against the couch.

"Fuck." He muttered, rubbing his jaw with one hand as the other remained clenched around her elbow.

"The fuck is wrong with you!" She screamed, ripping away from him. "Who do ya think I am, Darley? One of your goddamn—" She couldn't even finish the sentence she was so mad. Billy sleeping around was one thing; but being runner up within one night was not okay. Not by a long shot.

"Come on, Hell." He grunted, staring at the ceiling instead of her face. She slapped his arm and he tried to grab at her, but she was too angry. Her movements were fast and she punched him again, straight in the bicep. "Jesus, STOP!" He growled, glaring at her momentarily until she shot across the room. She could have ripped his throat out, burned his body, and spit on the ashes; that's how mad she was. Swiping her jeans off the floor, she violently shoved a foot down a leg of the denim. Forget her underwear, she just needed to get out. Get as far away from Billy Darley as possible.

Before he made her hurt.

"I hope she was one hell of a lay." She hissed venomously. He murmured something but Helen wasn't listening. Her blood was pounding in her ears and she was still concocting ways to murder Billy and get away with it. As she strode back to the couch to grab her shoes, however, she made the mistake of looking at him.

He was staring at the ceiling, emotionless yet defeated. His eyes didn't blink or focus, they just blazed into what lie above him, unseeing.

"What?" Helen asked because she'd been too stunned by his expression to move. She hadn't been listening and suddenly she wanted to hear what he had to say. He mumbled again and Helen wondered how someone his size could even speak that softly.

"What?" She grunted impatiently, zipping up her jeans to place both hands on her hips. He didn't answer, turning his head to look up at her, eye filled with an emotion she couldn't place. Or maybe she could place it and she just didn't want to. There was something about those eyes that made her glance away. Too close. Too personal.

"Fuckin' asshole." She hissed, throwing her jacket over her arms. No matter what his eyes said, she was not going to fold to him. But, without warning, Billy shot upright, coming face to face with her until their noses almost touched.

"Yeah, I am. I've done a lotta bad shit. I'll be the first to admit it. I've killed, I've cheated, I've stolen." She swallowed, staring into his raging blue eyes. "But tonight, when I left that fuckin' club, I felt like shit."

"Why?"

"Because I fucked a goddamn sex slave." He snarled. Helen winced. "I bent her over and took her like a dog, then I shoved my cock down her throat until she choked."

"Jesus!" She hissed in disgust. "Fuck you, Darley." As she turned to walk away, his hands ripped her back by the front of her jacket, his mouth crushing hers in an unapologetically rough kiss.

Helen fought back in a heartbeat, shoving him hard and throwing out a fist to catch his jaw. But he was ready; dodging quickly, he grabbed her wrist and yanked her off her feet. With a growl, Helen hit the couch headfirst, bouncing off the cushions.

"That all ya gotta say?" Billy bellowed as he stood over her with a deadly scowl. She panted furiously and shot to her feet, lashing out with a foot and connecting with his right thigh.

"FUCK YOU!" She screamed, bringing her foot back to kick him again. Before she could hit him, his arms caught her calf and he barreled forward, bringing them both down on the couch. The piece of furniture never stood a chance. The impact pitched it backwards, their bodies tumbling over the top and onto the floor.

"YEAH?" He was yelling into her face, his fingers tangled in her hair. When she slapped him, he pulled and they let out a mutual shout of pain. Helen threw her weight forward and rolled Billy over onto his back. In the prone position over his hips, she threw her knee into his side, jabbing him twice until he used his grip on her scalp to throw her to the side. The pain shot like needles down her neck, wrenching her at an odd angle as he rolled on top, pinning her torso with his lower body. Then his head came down and Billy's tongue licked its way over her collarbone and throat. Kicking and hissing like an angry snake, she fought beneath him. He didn't get to do this to her, not when he'd pissed her off this much.

Billy bit down on her throat and she jerked with surprise, letting out a shriek. But the shriek wasn't just from the pain. Pleasure rushed through her like a wave.

"Get the FUCK OFF ME!" Helen planted her feet on the floor, kicking and sliding them across the floor as he held her down.

"I'm not goddamn done." He snarled back. Billy glanced up at her for a beat and she felt her blood freeze.

He was furious. Beyond furious. His rage had swallowed him whole, leaving him rabid and brutal. And that was the first time she'd ever been scared of Billy Darley. A cold sweat broke out on the back of her neck in raw fear. She wiggled in his grasp, her body slowing.

He wasn't there. In those blue eyes, she saw someone else. She saw a stranger angry enough to break her in two. His breath came in heavy grunts, his upper lip lifted in a snarl.

"Billy." Helen didn't mean to whisper. She would have rather screamed at him again. But the vacancy behind his stare brought out the cautionary side of her. "Let me go." He blinked once.

Twice.

Then a startled exhale left his lungs. Helen breathed a sigh of relief when his gaze focused on her face, his hard expression softening.

"Fuck." Billy closed his eyes and let go of her hair, rolling away and sitting up while Helen slowly followed suit.

This wasn't like them. They fucked with no strings attached. They could just barely stand one another. So why was it she wanted to murder him for sleeping with someone before her? And why had he been so unwilling to let her leave, so controlling?

"I should kill ya for that." She whispered, rubbing her head where he'd nearly torn her hair from her scalp.

"Probably."

Helen brushed off the thighs of her jeans, sneaking a glance at him. Billy's lip was bleeding; she must have socked him again when they were rolling around on the floor. His face was back to the flat expression from moments earlier and Helen couldn't stay angry for long.

"Billy, what happened?"

* * *

><p>He didn't know what was wrong with him. Remorse was something he never felt. Never. Saying sorry got you nowhere. Second-guessing yourself led to mistakes. But he felt hollow, worse than he could remember feeling in a long time. His gut was twisted and his chest felt heavy. And when Helen had been whimpering for him to take her, to come with her, he'd been…<p>

limp.

Even with his face between her legs, Billy couldn't scrub the blonde out of his head. He couldn't rid himself of the images, the sounds. Heck, he still had her spit all over him.

She'd wanted it. That blonde slut had wanted him enough to get wet and come for him. That was what his head had shouted at him over and over. She was no different from the hundreds of women he'd fucked over the years. So why did he feel like such a scumbag after this one? And why was he letting it cock block him for another?

Who was he kidding? This wasn't just another girl to screw.

This was Helen.

It was her face that came to mind when he rubbed one out in the morning and her body was the one he compared all the others to. She was better than all of them. She was…his.

"Why'd ya call me?" Helen spoke again and Billy finally raised his head to look at her. Jesus. He'd messed her hair up, bad. It was all over the place, sticking out at odd angles. And he knew he'd hurt her. The bite on her neck had bloomed out over her pale skin, alarmingly red from his anger.

But that wasn't the worst part.

He'd wanted to do more. His body had been pumped full of adrenaline, roaring for him to rip down her jeans and fuck her the way she'd been begging him to. And he could have. Even when Helen had shrunk back from him, terror paling her strong face as he'd trapped her on the floor, he could have barreled into her body and taken what he wanted.

It had been her voice that broke the rampage. She'd whispered his name and he'd plummeted back to earth.

"I just…did." He murmured. Of course he had called her. That had part of the plan. But Helen wasn't asking about the phone call; she was asking about meeting up. Why had he been so hot to meet her? He wanted Helen, sure. All the time. But he'd risked bringing her to a hidden apartment. He'd practically trampled traffic to get there only to freeze up.

"Look at me." He obeyed without hesitation, lifting his head to meet her eyes. And she slapped him. Hard. Billy closed his eyes and absorbed the pain, grunting softly in the back of his throat.

"That's for pullin' my hair like a fuckin' baby." She muttered. He opened his eyes. Helen's palm rang across the same cheek.

"Fuck." He hissed, blinking as the sting made his left eye water.

"And that's for biting me. You asshole." Helen rubbed the mark, wincing as she touched it. After a moment, she froze and just glared at him, hand over the bite. Then her hand shot out and grabbed the hem around Billy's throat. He jolted a little, expecting another slap, but she didn't hit him. Instead, she rose up to her knees and came closer. With a swing of a leg, she straddled him, sat on the tops of his thighs, and without a word, she lowered her head and kissed him.

It was the softest kiss he'd ever had. Barely a brush of her lips against his. And Billy felt the weight in his chest lift, the ache in his gut vanish. This. This is why he'd called her. This is why he'd felt sick as he left the club.

It was Helen. It was all about Helen.

The realization terrified him and freed him all at once. Running his hands up her legs, his lifted his head and she stroked his jaw, examining the tender place where he was already starting to bruise. Their eyes met and his body tingled beneath the surface.

It had always been about Helen.

Ever since that day in Bones' lot, it had been about this. About her.

Her thumb drifted up his chin and landed in the middle of his bottom lip. As she eased the finger back and forth on the sensitive skin, Billy stared into her brown eyes.

It had always been her. Helen tore him open like no other woman had. Every time.

So when she parted his lips, he shuddered and let her in.

* * *

><p>Helen was terrified of what she was doing. Her own head was telling her to get up, leave, and never speak to Billy Darley again. But when it came to Billy Darley, her head almost never won. And judging by his smooth features and smoldering eyes, she knew his head wasn't in the game either. They were thinking with the worst part of the human body.<p>

Their bleeding, stupid hearts.

Straddling him, she wanted those thick arms around her waist, burying her worries in warmth and protection. She wanted to hear him say her name, her real name. Only he called her Helen anymore. And he said it like no one else ever had.

She wanted him to say so many things.

But as she stared into his beautiful blue eyes, she realized he was saying them. He was showing her how much he needed her. Here, in these moments, he was saying those mushy things you read in Valentines. She knew it.

Because, goddamn it, she felt those things back.

She kissed him. Her lips parted against his and Billy breathed for her, locking his arms around her body.

There was no going back now.

No words, no drawn out confessions. They were taking the next step in silence. She was going to expose the part of her soul that no one would touch.

"Shower." Helen moaned into his mouth. Billy needed no further prompting. By some act of god, he managed to stand and take her with him, her legs circling his waist as he made his way to the bathroom.

* * *

><p>"Dude, these pants are super sick on you." Kwan was babbling one hundred miles an hour as the boys gathered in the house. The living room had a couple different couches and chairs, and bodies filled them all. Everyone had been called in for this meeting and the girls had been given three days off to free up the manpower.<p>

Sid stood in the middle of the group, eyeing the youngest member with a cocked eyebrow. He was still dressed in his "club" outfit, having come directly from Wild to give everyone an update. Now they were all just staring at him, fidgeting as they contemplated the plan for tomorrow. The twitchy Asian grinned, playing with his new lip ring.

"Seriously, I kinda want them." Sid rolled his eyes.

"You can have 'em. They'd fit a little girl so they're just the right size." A couple of snickers rose from the stiff group and Kwan made a face. Despite his tall, lanky body, and his age, the guy was the best hacker they'd ever had. Getting into an alarm system was cake for the little genius, and it helped that he had a black belt. However, he was still the baby of the gang, and he got the most shit from them all. With a pierced eyebrow, nipple, lip, and another ring further south, Sid jokingly called him Stud.

"Don't hate on the skinny jeans, dude." Kwan leaned back in an overstuffed recliner. "Girl's dig the fit." He stuck out his tongue and caught it in his front teeth, wiggling the bar in the pink muscle. Sid rolled his eyes. He'd forgotten about that one. The kid was made of holes.

"Like you'd know." Kade teased, grinning from the couch. The two exchanged glances and Kwan stuck out his middle finger, twirling it in the air.

"Don't even go there, dude." Sid sighed. Leave it to the kids to make everything feel normal. And that's what they needed tonight. A little bit of normal. Because tomorrow everyone's lives would be on the line. They might not come back home.

"Did anyone get a hold of Neil's info?" Sid muttered over Kade's goofy laughter and the room grew quiet for a moment. He looked from face to face, receiving no good news.

Kwan quit his smiling and shook his head, suddenly fascinated with the stuff under his fingernails.

In the chair next to him was Saul. Saul was their biggest muscle and he mostly stayed in the house. The girls felt safer when there was a towering ex-boxer a few rooms away, especially when most of their customers were packing a good fifty pounds more than them. Saul was the perfect solution for their security issues. Standing at a good six foot seven with a thick brown ponytail and dark brown eyes, he was unforgettable, but unremarkable. Saul had a handsome, honest face; he was the guy that the neighbors liked to see mowing the grass on the weekends. And he had them all convinced that he was just a regular guy with regular roommates.

Idiots.

On the couch was Kade, slouched on his hip like usual. He played relentlessly with his phone, no doubt texting his girlfriend. Sid swallowed with disapproval but continued to give no comment towards his brother's woman of choice. He'd met Tiffany once, on accident, and she was a nice girl. But it didn't change who she was related to, or who's loyalty she ultimately held.

Next to Kade was Derk. Derk was the face of the gang. He was the one who glared out at people from an alley, green eyes piercing the dark to find their prey. Even though he'd let Billy Darley waltz right into a buy, he was still good at his job. He was big enough that he could scare away the tweakers and fight off anything else. But Derk had a tough past. Most of them did, but not like Derk. Only Helen's childhood came close. All Sid knew was Derk hated being shut indoors for too long, he didn't chase tail, and he never wore short sleeves. Sid had drawn his own conclusions and none of it had been good. When he met the redhead's eyes, he shook his head quickly but his gaze didn't shy away.

In the corner by the window, Zeke was the quietest of them all, jaw set tight under his tan skin. Zeke was handy with just about any weapon you could hand him, and he was ruthless with his hands. Helen liked having him nearby after she'd witnessed what those knuckles could do. Even Sid could admit he felt a little more secure with Zeke around the corner. With short, blond hair and flat grey eyes, he was the silent solider.

He and Neil had lived together in an apartment a few blocks away and he hadn't spoken a word since the day his friend had been gunned down. In fact, Sid hadn't seen Zeke do much more than breathe since Neil had died. When everyone looked to Zeke he didn't bother to shake his head in the negative. He just stared back at Sid, eyes burning. Sid wrote it off as grief, not disrespect.

"Well shit." Sid muttered, rubbing a hand over his neck.

"We bury him tonight." Zeke's rough tenor broke the collective silence and Sid blinked at the blond with surprise. Then he lowered his hand and gave a short nod. He was right. After tomorrow they might be the ones needing buried. It was time to put their friend to rest.

"Good." He said tightly, glancing around the room. "And we're all gonna do it." Everyone murmured words of agreement and Derk stood up slowly.

"I'll go get 'im from the wash." Kwan twitched in his chair. The kid wasn't used to being around dead bodies yet and he would be the weakest link tonight. "Where am I takin' him?" Derk asked, glancing at Zeke. The blond stared at a spot on the carpet for a minute, his jaw flexing over and over.

"The new park over off of C just put down sod." Kwan spoke up, fiddling with his lip ring again. "No one'll notice the loose ground and no one'll be diggin' him up anytime soon." Zeke gave a short nod and Sid nodded to Derk.

"Let me change my pants."

* * *

><p>Billy felt like he was high. High, drunk, and running a fever. Helen was all around him, her arms woven around his neck, legs locked around his waist, and fingers gripping the back of his head. They were clumsy getting to the tiny apartment bathroom, but Billy didn't notice, nor care. Something had been said in the silence. Something desperate and honest. Now they were clinging to that feeling, that truth.<p>

He had the shower running in the blink of an eye, setting Helen on the floor for a moment to rip his shirt over his head. She mirrored him, throwing the plain cotton shirt over her shoulder as she started to work the clasp of her bra. Billy groaned in the back of his throat as she popped it free, the black straps sliding down her shoulders. She was smiling at him, but not in the dangerous way he'd grown accustomed to; it was a happy smile. When the bra fell to the floor, he didn't say a word. He walked over to her, plucked her off the floor by her butt, and propped her on the counter by the sink.

Dipping his head, he kissed her. He thought about the girls he'd kissed over the years. Most of them had been quick screws in the bathroom at the Four Roses; those kisses were all tongue and no technique, nothing special. A few had been timid girls he'd coaxed into his bed, releasing their inner vixen with dominating sex. But he didn't kiss Helen like that at all.

Their mouths lingered. Tongues would touch and they'd nibble occasionally, but ultimately it was about the lips. He would stay, pressed against her, just enjoying it. There wasn't a need for embellishment.

Before too long, though, he started trailing his mouth down her neck. Tipping her face back, Helen held his head in both hands, coaxing him further and further until he was nestled between her breasts. He nipped at the skin on either side, teasing her until she pushed on his neck with insistence. Then he took her left nipple in his mouth, playing with the right with his thumb.

The sounds she made sent goosebumps over his thighs, tingling right to his balls. He worked her over like that for minutes, driving her crazy as the shower steamed up the room. Her patience ran out, however, and Billy grunted when her hips made contact with the hard bulge at the front of his jeans.

Without prompting, Helen started to grind against him, her fingers popping open her fly as he tugged down on the zipper. Panting, they worked together to rid her of the jeans and Billy kicked them away, pulling her flush against his crotch. Her underwear was still out in the living room, her body completely bare.

"Take off your pants." She murmured, breathless as she whispered into his mouth. Billy groaned and held her hands at bay.

"Shower first." Helen pushed against his crotch with her hips and Billy bucked, grunting against her shoulder.

"I wanna see you come, right now." She moaned, locking him in place with her legs. "And ya don't wanna ruin your jeans." Billy bellowed at the friction between them before he finally gave up and tore at his fly. Shoving the jeans down his legs, he lifted his mouth to capture her own, their lower bodies meeting without delay. His boxer-briefs were straining against the erection beneath and Helen shuddered as the bulge provided the perfect stimulation.

Rubbing against each other, they raced for orgasm like teenagers. As the pace quickened, Billy leaned forward over her, nearly laying her flat on the counter as he ground against her wet slit.

"I can't wait to fuck you." He grunted, burying his face in her neck. Helen would have smiled at the sentiment, if her teeth hadn't been clamped down on her bottom lip. Rocking her pelvis to meet his rigid cock, she started to pulse from within, her body burning with pleasure.

When she came, she arched off the counter and screamed, scratching at Billy's flexing back. He watched her face as she shattered with bliss and it sent him overboard, cursing as he came all over himself with hard jerks of his hips.

* * *

><p>His lower lip was too tempting, plump and red as he dropped his jaw. Helen nibbled at it as Billy grunted, his cock throbbing between her legs as he came. He was so lost when he did that, his normally controlled expression replaced with one of docile ecstasy. It was the same face he'd made when they were fourteen years old. She smiled up at him when he finally opened his eyes.<p>

"Now we can shower." She murmured, kissing his open mouth. He laughed, breathless and content, as they both sat up. Stripping out of his underwear, Billy stepped backwards into the shower, grinning devilishly through the steam.

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry it's been so long folks. I only recently had the inspiration to continue this. Hope you enjoyed! And I promise the smut will continue. :) OH. and please tell me if I made this too mushy. I tried my hardest to keep it true to character, but I thought they needed to admit things to themselves. Anyway, rambling. Love to you all! Thank you for reading and reviewing! <strong>


	22. Chapter 22

She'd never showered with a man before. That was an intimacy that Helen had never intended to share with a lover. But, hell, she'd never had another lover. Just Billy. And she'd never told him that.

Watching him under the stream of hot water, suds long gone, Helen wondered if maybe this was the time. He would be shocked; but at least, they'd both know where they stood. Helen knew Billy didn't do things like this with any of his conquests; so this, between them now, wasn't business as usual for him either. This was gentle, slow, and loving. Her breath caught as the word love entered her mind. Not a welcome thought, whatsoever.

"I've never been with anyone else." She blurted the words in a moment of panic, closing her eyes to look away from him. As she stood in the warm water, listening to the patter of it hitting the tile below, she wondered if she'd confessed to intentionally try and scare him away. Scare them both into thinking straight. This wasn't what people like them did. Caring about a lover was…stupid.

"Why?" His question was definitely not the response she'd expected. Glancing up at him, Helen searched his blue eyes as he ran his thumb along her jaw. He was so calm, so far from the rage or fear she'd seen in him that night. Shrugging lamely, she focused her study on his pecks, using all ten fingers to trace the solid black ink on the skin.

"I didn't trust anybody from school. Then I was tossed in juvie and I don't bat for an all girl's team." Billy grinned, tipping up her chin to look into her eyes.

"Not even once?" She smirked, letting him have his moment of wishful thinking before she lowered a hand and gently smacked his half-hard erection. Billy groaned and crushed her hips to his, rolling the thick length against her stomach.

"I prefer men, thanks." Helen retorted, her voice losing its gusto as he rubbed his cock between them, his palms spanning her back as he held her close. "Just one really." Her heart held its breath, the blurted words hanging in the air. Billy slowly stopped moving, his lust tamed as he stared into her eyes once again. She might as well have chopped off his manhood, that's what his expression looked like. Surprise, confusion, and…

"Fuck." Not the word she wanted to hear. The defensive retorts rose up her throat like bile, ready to spring free to protect what little dignity she had left. God, what had she been thinking? She was acting like a complete girl! "Just mine." His deep purr broke her thoughts apart and she glanced up at him. The blue eyes staring back were burning, consuming, and took her breath away in an instant. He was happy. Extremely so.

"Well, it's not like I've got ya name tattooed on my ass." She whispered, shaking slightly with nerves. He was calling her "his" and she was responding to the word. Responding? No. She was glowing. She was melting from the inside out, wrapping her arms around his waist to move closer.

"Oh, we could change that." He teased with a suggestive purr, a large palm cupping one of side of her butt. Kneading the flesh, he started to rock his hips again, groaning from deep in his chest. Then he brought his hand down, slapping her wet behind so hard it stung.

"Hey!" She fidgeted to evade the hand but he only laughed, taking her around the waist and pulling her off the floor. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she kissed him. It felt perfect. Easy. Two feelings she knew she shouldn't trust.

"I'd put your name…" Billy looked down at his chest, pointing with a finger as he picked out a spot. "Here." Her stomach knotted when he stopped right over his heart. She tried to laugh, but his expression stopped her. No teasing, no mocking. Just Billy, staring back at her with crystal blue eyes.

"Shut up." She muttered, blushing wildly as he grinned. "Don't be stupid."

"It's only fair." He murmured, pushing his fingers through her wet hair. "If my name's on your ass I gotta put ya somewhere." Helen rolled her eyes.

"So your ass is off limits, but mine isn't?" His laugh vibrated against her chest, tingling her every nerve from head to toe.

"No man is ever gonna handle that part of me." He growled, nipping at her mouth. "Not even ta carve ya name in it." Helen dropped her head back and laughed. Billy Darley, afraid of letting a tattoo artist near his butt. His lips brushed over her throat and Helen's breath caught, their eyes meeting again. Laughing. They were laughing together, in a shower, stark naked. Lifting her legs, Helen wrapped herself around his waist. From there it was as easy as tilting her pelvis and they were together, joined with a gasp and a groan.

"I'd put your name here." Helen whispered, taking his hand to press it into the middle of her spine. Billy looked down at her, grinning.

"Deal."

* * *

><p>Joey thumped his pool cue on the floor, staring at the front door to the Four Roses. He'd been there for hours, waiting for his brother to come back and tell him what the hell he'd been up to. Billy was looking for the Russian assholes who'd tried to kill them. That was the obvious part. But what Joey wanted to know is what else they knew. He wanted to be with his brother, hunting down the dogs that had taken aim at him, his brother, and Danny.<p>

God, Danny. Her face was finally starting to fade from a nasty black and blue to a purple and green. Not that those colors were any better, but at least she was healing. He'd needed that reassurance that things were mending. That eventually she'd be the same, smiling Danny. But that was still a long way off. And until he put a bullet in the sucker that had beaten his girl, he was going to feel useless. He'd let his beautiful, trusting girlfriend into his world, only to fail her when she'd needed him most.

"Joe, ya gonna take a shot or what?" Trixy, a local bar fly and Darley groupie was whining at him, arms crossed over her ample bust. Fuck, the last thing he wanted to do was listen to her screechy tone. But Danny had gone to see her father and he'd forced himself out of their apartment, winding up here. To watch a door.

"Just, shut up." He grunted, leaving his cue against the wall to stomp his way to the bar. Trixy scoffed and probably made a face at the back of his head, but she'd deal with it. If she wanted any shot of sleeping with Billy, she'd deal with anything.

Flopping into a stool at the bar, Joey glared at the door some more, drumming his fingers on the counter. It was nearly three in the morning and not a single person from the gang had shown up. What the hell were they doing?

"What can I pour ya, Joe?" Sammy was quiet as he approached, aware, obviously, of the younger Darley's foul mood.

"Three fingers, Jack." He was a little short with the bartender, but he didn't care. Joey was ready to rip his own brother's head off for making him wait around this long for news. When his drink was in front of him, he just let it sit. He was already angry and he knew the second the whiskey touched his belly, he'd be worse.

The door opened just a moment before Joey threw his drink into the wall in frustration. His chest released a whirl of fury and he swallowed the contents of the glass in relief, happy to drown his racing heart.

Bodie was at the head of the group, his expression smooth and unreadable. Behind him, the rest of the gang filed in, faces blank and altogether vacant. You'd think they were at a cakewalk. Joey shot off his seat and met Bodie head on.

"Where the fuck is Billy?" Bodie shook his head, face emotionless.

"Headed off about an hour ago ta do somethin'." Joey chewed on his cheek in fury.

"He's not answerin' his phone." Bodie circled around him and headed towards their booth, the rest of the men following suit. "Fuckin' talk ta me, Bode. What the hell is goin' on?"

As the man sank into a chair, he looked up and met Joey's furious gaze.

"Just chill. Tomorrow night, everythin' will be over." Bodie murmured, nodding to Baggy's sister as she motioned to a pitcher of beer. "One way or another."

"The fuck does that mean?" Joey snapped, hoping to hide his panic with his anger. Thankfully, Bodie didn't look insulted; he merely shrugged.

"It means I'm not gonna tell Bill how ta spend his night because I'm gonna spend mine doin' what I please." Then his eyes darkened, brows pinching together with deliberate intensity. "Go home ta ya girl, Joe."

"Fuck you." Joey spat. "Fuck you and fuck Bill." He snarled, pointing a finger in Bodie's face. Bodie glared back, holding in what surely was an angry retort of his own. "My girl? They touched my girl." The guys avoided Joey's furious face, but they were all watching. In fact, the entire bar was watching as he hissed venom at his brother's best friend. "And I'm gonna gut anybody who gets in my fuckin' way of killin' the motherfucker who touched my girl." Bodie raised an eyebrow.

"Watch it, kid."

"I AM NOT A FUCKIN' KID!" Joey screamed so loud he could hear his voice echo off the glasses behind the bar. Then he dragged in a breath and took a step back from the table. The entire gang was frozen, watching Bodie for a reaction. When the man only sighed, shaking his head, Joey realized he'd lashed out at the wrong person. He was mad at the Russian prick who'd beaten his beautiful Danny, the man who'd made her feel ugly, not Bodie. Suddenly he knew where to take his anger and he softened, wiping a hand over his face.

"Sorry." He murmured and Bodie nodded. "Just…" He swiped at the air as if he could clear away his fury from moment ago. "…tell Bill I need ta see 'im." Bodie nodded again and Joey turned, leaving the bar without a second look. There were only a few hours left in the night and he had plans.

* * *

><p>He knew if he moved it'd be over too soon. Billy was deep inside her, buried to the hilt, but he refused to move against her. Up against the bathroom door, he kissed Helen gently, mimicking their first kiss all those years ago. Her first kiss, with him.<p>

God, he couldn't believe she'd never slept with anyone else. When she'd blurted out that little fact, he'd nearly fallen over. Only him. She'd only ever been with him. He'd wanted to bury himself in her then and there; he'd wanted to claim her. It was the dumbest, most irrational thing he'd ever felt, but it was the honest truth. Even now, as he filled her with his thick, iron erection, he wanted to stake a claim on her.

His recent dream came roaring back into his head: Helen on top of him, riding him ever so slowly, whispering his name. Telling him that she loved him. Billy wanted her to say it. He wanted the words.

"Billy, please." She whispered, curling her spine to thrust him in and out of her. He shuddered and his body responded with the desperate impulse to follow her pace. But he didn't want to screw her on a door. The sex he wanted to have with Helen was something specific. Something familiar.

Her hips became more insistent, slamming into him with an animal hunger. Billy indulged her for a moment, aware that his cock was already tingling, the sac between his legs buzzing with release. Then he pinned her to the door, giving her no room to maneuver.

"Slow down, baby." He strained to keep his voice even as Helen clawed at his ass, leaving her classic nail marks all over his skin.

"Goddamn you Darley, I want it now." She was flushed, frowning at him as he fought to contain himself.

"Just, relax." He snorted into her hair. Demanding as usual. "I'll take good care of ya, Helen." She shivered and he knew he had her. When the threat of orgasm lifted, he stood away from the door and opened it, carrying her out into the apartment. From there, it was only a slight journey to the bedroom.

The bed was nothing special. He'd used it once, a long time ago, when he'd needed a place to crash alone. Otherwise it had gone unused. But that was the furthest thing from his mind at the moment. All he could think about was Helen. He was going to stay inside her as long as he could. And then he'd do it again. And again.

Until he couldn't move.

Sitting on the edge of the mattress, he kept her around his waist. Face to face, they were exactly as they'd started. The virgins had been replaced with scarred, experienced adults. Their lives had been marked and bumpy, but they were right back where they started. And this time, Billy knew why he'd chosen Helen.

"You're one hell of a woman, Helen Gates." He brushed a strand of hair from her forehead as he said the words, watching her face turn rosy at the cheeks. Good, she'd gotten the message. Because the words he wanted to say were never going to leave his lips.

He'd never admit that he might…love her.

"And you're one in a million, Darley." She murmured, touching the scar across his nose. "Now…" With both hands she grabbed his face. "…will ya please move?" He grinned and took her hips, guiding her in a smooth, fluid thrust. Her mouth crashed against his as she moaned, more than happy to continue the motion with his guidance.

Billy grunted with each plunge. She was squeezing him just right, milking him for everything he was worth. He wanted this to last, even as he teetered on the edge of oblivion.

* * *

><p>Helen knew he was ready to come. She could see it in his face. His jaw was rigid, holding in caveman quality growls of pleasure and his thighs were flexed beneath her, as if he could muscle his body into holding back. Helen loved seeing him like this.<p>

Oh shit, there was that word again.

Rising up higher on his hips, she adjusted her thrusts to ride him faster.

"Don't hold back, baby." She hadn't called him baby since the night in the motel. But it felt right, cooing to him as his cock kicked inside her. "Come, Billy. I wanna see you come."

"Fuck, Helen." He hissed, blinking up at her. "Ya make me into a fuckin' minute man." She grinned and kissed him, pulling a hard groan from his lips.

"How sweet." She teased. Then her inner vixen took over. Leaning back, she put a hand on each of his knees, arching hard against his shaft. His eyes clamped closed and he dropped his head, his jaw clenched with restraint. She moaned at his expression. "Look, Billy." He opened his eyes and got an eyeful: his shaft glossed with her arousal, her hips thrusting down on him in smooth rolls of her spine, her nipples hard for him.

"Jesus Christ." He cursed into a roar, ripping her onto her back on the bed. He hammered wildly until she came with him, their bodies tangled in the comforter with shivers. That was the part she loved. The part where he lost himself and gave into the crazed power of it all.

Loved.

She knew she should have been mentally kicking herself for thinking of that word again. But as she lie panting in Billy's arms, she couldn't feel anything besides happy. Suddenly, the word didn't seem so frightening. After all, it was in her head. What was the danger in loving Billy and keeping it to herself? The realization put her at ease and she sighed with a content moan.

"Please tell me you want that again." Billy murmured into her throat, trailing lazy kisses over her frantic pulse point.

"Again and again, Darley."

* * *

><p>He didn't know when his hands had started shaking, but as he lifted a lit cigarette to his lips, Sid was bothered that he hadn't noticed earlier. Maybe he had been too focused on the task at hand. Or maybe he hadn't noticed because he hadn't met eyes with the men around him in over an hour. The only thing that had made any sound was the muted stab of a shovel into dirt and the soft thump as loose earth was thrown into a pile.<p>

It was Kade's turn, his lower half hidden in the large hole the men had all been digging. It shouldn't have taken them an hour to dig one measly hole, but they weren't working to be efficient. They were burying a friend while drowning in the painful irony that they might be dead too the next time the moon rose. Sid flinched as he watched his brother dig. Who would bury them when they fell? Would it be a stranger? Or would a few of them survive to claim the bodies of the fallen? Sid studied his brother's messy head of black hair. He wouldn't be able to dig a hole for Kade. He'd have to go home, face his mother, tell her what he'd done, and she'd bury him with their father. For the first time in half a dozen years, he'd have to drive into the fluffy suburbs of Boston and knock on the family's polished home.

And then he'd have to tell his mother that Kade was dead.

Sid tossed the cigarette away, suddenly disgusted. He wouldn't be able to make that visit either. Hopefully, if his brother died, Sid would be right there with him, taking the very next bullet. That way, if his mother had to bury someone, he wouldn't have to tell her why. And Kade wouldn't be alone.

At that moment, his brother looked up, eyes shockingly bright in the dark night, and he stared as if he'd heard Sid's thoughts. Then Kade sighed and leapt out of the hole, brushing his palms over his jeans.

"That should do it." He murmured quietly, glancing over at Zeke. But instead of responding, Zeke continued to glare at the ground in front of him, his legs crossed as he sat on the grass. Sid hid a wince. The man reminded him of a loyal guard dog, unwavering and unresponsive to anyone besides his master. Or in this case, his best friend. Zeke had placed Neil's body in the grass an hour ago, and had started the hole first. But ever since Derk had taken the second turn, Zeke had stayed at Neil's side, smoking angrily as he frowned at the dirt. It was clear that he was holding back what he truly wanted to do: rip someone to pieces.

"Zeke." Sid was gentle but firm, giving a command without having to say the words. Slowly, Zeke unfolded his legs and stood, grinding his butt into the grass before he knelt next to Neil. Derk was there in a heartbeat, lifting their friend from the other side, and together the men carried him over to the hole. Kade dropped back inside to help them lower the tightly wrapped body softly to the bottom, and then it was done. The hastily bundled body of their friend was hidden from the world, tucked into the earth where he would stay forever.

As Kade climbed out, Kwan nervously filled a shovel from the pile, looking up at Sid for permission. But Sid didn't give it.

"It could be any one of us in that hole, right now." Sid spoke in a tame voice, but in the silence it felt like a bellow. All heads turned to him and Zeke's eyes shone in the faint moonlight. "It could have been Hell."

"Then where the fuck is she?" Zeke's voice cut through the air like a blade, ruthless against Sid's softer tone. Kade winced, meeting his brother's gaze with a sympathetic tilt of his brow.

"She didn't know we were buryin' him. She had somethin' to take care of." Sid couldn't feel anger towards the man's harsh words, but he couldn't help but agree with him a little. Where was Helen? And why hadn't he been able to get a hold of her? This was more important than any errand.

Sid didn't let himself think too hard on what that errand could be. He wouldn't like any of the answers.

"Bullshit." Zeke spat, ripping the shovel from Kwan's hand to angrily toss the dirt onto his friend below. "He died for her."

"He died in her arms." Kade's voice not only startled Sid, but caused Zeke to fumble a second heap of dirt into the grave. Kade's eyes were fierce and furious, his lips forming a thin line. "I saw the blood on her hands. You saw it too." Zeke glared, but he said nothing. Only his jaw moved, flexing beneath his skin. "Sid took a bullet and Helen walked into the line of fire. And when Neil was on the ground, she hauled him into a truck and held onto him as he fuckin' bled to death. All over her." It took Sid a minute to realize that Kade's eyes were shining because there were tears gathering in them. His little brother was angry but also sad. Angry for Zeke's criticism towards Helen. Sad because he'd lost a friend and hadn't been able to help. He hadn't been there when Neil had needed him.

"Don't blame yourself, Zeke." Sid muttered. The man's face whipped around to him and suddenly his expression fell. Guilt. The underlying cause of all his fury had been his guilt. "And don't blame Hell. She'll be pissed she missed this and ya know it." Then with a dismissive wave of his hand, he motioned for them to continue. "Let's get movin' before someone sees us."

Zeke and Saul made quick work of replacing the dirt pile while Sid walked to Kade's side. When no one was looking, he patted his brother's shoulder and leaned in closer.

"You're not goin' out there tomorrow." He grumbled under his breath. Kade ripped backward, glaring at him with stinging rage.

"No fuckin' way I'm not goin'. Ya lost your fuckin' mind?" Thankfully his little brother had kept his sharp reply to a hiss and their conversation didn't attract anyone's attention.

"I'm not buryin' you." Sid snarled, taking a handful of his brother's shirt into a fist. Kade's eyes widened and he glanced down at the grip on his collar, his mouth loosening in surprise. "And I'm not leavin' these men with nothin'. If we all fuckin' eat it tomorrow, then you'll be here ta tag our toes and put us under." Kade swallowed and Sid was forced back to their days at home. They were nearly eight years apart in age, divided by two sisters, so it had often been a struggle for Sid to relate to the small boy. And on more than one occasion, his "talks" with Kade had ended with tears. Staring down at Kade now, Sid saw that frightened little kid, scared of what his big brother was saying.

"Sid, you'll need me—"

"I need ya to bury me." Sid cut him off with a firm shake of his head. "And then I need ya to promise me somethin'." Kade swallowed again and Sid had to keep himself from softening. He was asking a lot from his brother. He was forcing Kade to watch as all of his friends, his family, walked into danger, and then not follow.

"What." His tone was softer than before, willing to heed Sid's last wishes, and the older man swelled with love for his little brother. He would do anything to keep Kade away from death, even if it was just for one more day.

"Move down ta Georgia with Alyssa." Sid took both of Kade's shoulders into his hands as his brother's face fell. "If shit goes south, take your girl and go live with sis."

"She's got kids, man. I can't pick up a family and haul 'em down ta live with my sister —"

"Yeah ya can. And you're gonna." Sid stared into Kade's face. "Promise me."

"Sid—"

"And never come back." He tightened his hold Kade's shoulders until he knew his grip was bordering painful.

It took a minute of silence and a lot of staring, but eventually Kade nodded, biting back emotion and lots of yelling. Sid was thankful his brother had relinquished and made the promise. Maybe it would help him think clearly tomorrow.

"We're done." Saul's deep bass broke the quiet night and Kwan fidgeted over the sod, pushing the pieces into place with the toe of his shoe. The ground looked perfect, like nothing had ever happened.

"Then let's move." Sid motioned towards their cars, parked in shadows off of the road. Kade started off without even looking at him, his anger evident in the swing of his shoulders and tight cut of his stride, but Sid felt solid. For the first time that day, he felt like something was confirmed. He could be sure that his brother would live through tomorrow.

And maybe, just maybe, that would help him get some rest.

* * *

><p>It was late when Danny pulled in next to Joey's car. She hadn't expected to come home that night, planning to stay and sleep at her father's house in an attempt to prove that she was fine. But sleeping in a bed alone had proven more difficult than she'd ever imagined it would be.<p>

She smiled. Needing Joey by her side was a vice she didn't mind. In fact, if she had been comfortable without him, it would have bothered her. So she was content to drive home at four in the morning, alone on the dark streets.

Walking from her car to the front door of their apartment, she swept some stray hairs from her forehead. Her father had been so unhappy with her injuries; he'd poked and examined until she had wanted to scream. Her ribs had turned out to only be bruised, not broken, and her doctor had been optimistic about her facial injuries on the phone.

In a couple of weeks, it would be like nothing had ever happened to her. And then Joey wouldn't look so sad when he saw her. She flinched with her hand on the doorknob. Seeing him pained by her very face hurt her deeply. She wanted to hide from him until she was better, help him understand that nothing was his fault. Even though they'd connected and discussed, his guilt was still thick between them. He was itching to fix something and yet there was nothing to fix. The only mending that could be done was up to her body. And that would take time.

Stepping inside, she was surprised to see the living room empty. Danny had expected to be greeted with a confused Joey, bolting up out of the chair she'd left him in. But that was silly; she'd left him hours ago.

A moan from their bedroom broke her train of thought and Danny went terribly still. Keys hovering in the air, she wrapped her fingers tightly around the metal until the sharp points dug into her palm.

Another deep moan came from the room and her heart plunged into her stomach. It was Joey, clear as day. But those sounds couldn't be coming from her bedroom. Not when she wasn't home. Tears welled up in her eyes and her feet shot her forward. Horrible images filled her mind as she threw open the bedroom door.

"Danny?" The sheets shuffled and Danny blinked, the darkness slowly seeping into her eyes. "What are ya doin' home?" His voice sounded strained and she stepped forward, looking around the room. But to her surprise, nothing moved in the dark.

He was alone in their bed.

"I couldn't sleep without you." She whispered, blinking down at Joey. He was sprawled on his back, a sheet pulled up to his armpits as his arms lay gently at his sides. As she studied his form under the sheet, it took her a moment to see the shadows on his face. After that, it was only seconds before she had dropped all of her things, flying to his side.

"What happened to your face!" She whispered in a panic, gasping at the bruises forming on his jaw, cheeks and eyes. Joey grunted and moaned, shifting towards her to wrap an arm around her waist.

"Just a little fight. I'm fine." Danny wasn't fooled. Slipping her fingertips under the top of the sheet, she slid it down his body to reveal many more bruises. They speckled his stomach and thighs, the skin red where it would certainly turn purple by morning.

"Oh Joey." She started to cry, shuddering as she ran a feather light hand over his stomach. He was a better fighter than that. She'd seen him fight three men with lightning-quick reflexes and walk away practically untouched. This was something else.

"I feel fine." He murmured, stroking her face as her tears fell onto his chest. And when she looked into his eyes, she realized he was telling the truth. He was smiling with a split lip and two black eyes.

"Why did you do this?" She whispered, catching his palm to kiss it gently. Joey sighed with a wince and shrugged.

"I needed ta hurt somebody." He muttered, watching her as she pressed her lips into the inside of his hand again. Danny sighed and sniffled, her eyes falling on the bruises below.

"But they hurt you so badly, baby." She shook her head and Joey gripped her chin.

"No. For the first time this week, Danny, I don't hurt." His face was dead serious, the blotches of red and purple making his features hard and striking. He was beautiful to her, even like this.

And then she understood.

He'd had no way of helping her and no way to fix her. In his mind, he had been unable to deal with those obstacles.

So he'd joined her.

Joey had found a way to be there for her, covered in bruises and sore spots. He'd found a way to show her that he still loved her. And when she had still been able to see beauty in his battered face, he'd proven that he still found beauty in hers.

"Joey Darley, you're crazy." She murmured, tears streaming down her cheeks as she slowly smiled. He flashed her a grin, wincing as an afterthought.

"Not news, baby." Danny kicked off her sandals and slid under the sheet beside him, careful to avoid his bruised stomach as she nestled in close.

"And I love you. So much." She whispered, kissing his chest with a sniffle. His lips pressed to her forehead and Danny closed her eyes. He was right; for the first time that week, they finally felt…normal.

"I love you too, my Danielle. With all I got."

* * *

><p><strong>Let me know if the mushy factor was too much. Again, I was trying to keep that equilibrium going between Helen and Billy. If I failed, I apologize. <strong>

**Love to my readers! You guys make me really happy. :)  
>And TONS of love to redhedlund for reviewing for me! :D<br>Thank you all!**


	23. Chapter 23

Billy liked to think he was an aware guy. He liked control, and prided himself on maintaining the upper hand in any given situation.

Falling asleep in the arms of Helen Gates was not an example of this.

Falling asleep in bed with a woman wasn't something he did. Period. But with Helen? It was infinitely worse. She was at the apex of everything. Not a woman, but _the _woman. Not that he'd ever tell her that, or that she really needed him to verbalize it. There was an unspoken understanding between them, an agreement that went unacknowledged. They were lovers, with all the trimmings. There wasn't any question about that now; not after the night they'd shared, all the talking they'd done between each mind-blowing session of sweaty, toe-curling sex. Gone was the attempt at casual fucking. This, between them now, was something much more dangerous.

And yet, when Billy slowly opened his eyes, his mind groggily rewinding, fear wasn't what he felt.

Helen was next to him, flat on her stomach so he could see the long pane of her bare back and choppy mane of black hair. She slept silently, her back rising and falling with each breath. He was content to watch her like that for a while, one of his arms trapped beneath her head. They'd been tangled in the sheets, he noticed, their bodies twisted in the white fabric until it had knotted around their legs. His hips were the only thing still covered, Helen's body completely bare for him to stare at.

And stare he did. She was perfect to him, despite the large scar on her thigh and the patches of freckles that spanned her shoulders and back. He knew her body like it was his own, down to the tan lines her racer back tanks left between her shoulder blades.

Dangerous. Very dangerous.

"I can feel you staring."

Billy snorted a laugh, Helen's voice muffled by mattress. She'd woken without even a change in her breathing.

"It's a fine ass to stare at." Her laugh was throaty as she lay facedown beside him. Then a sigh fell between them. Billy let his eyes droop closed for a little while, content to maybe drift off.

"Shit."

Helen rustled the sheets, his temporary peace shattered. Opening one eye, he watched her tug at the covers, ripping them from his hips. When the cold air hit his crotch, Billy hissed and sat up, glaring as Helen shuffled off with the bed sheet wrapped around her body.

"Are ya kiddin' me?" He snorted after her, shaking his head. It wasn't like he hadn't seen every intimate inch of her. But Helen continued to shuffle out of the bedroom entirely, plucking her clothes off the living room floor.

"I wasn't planning on this little sleepover, Darley." She muttered from a distance. "People are gonna wonder where the fuck we wondered off to all night long."

"And morning." He murmured with a smirk, interlacing his fingers behind his head as he propped against the headboard. Helen stepped into the doorway for a moment, in only her bra and jeans, shaking her head at his cocky smile.

"It's a wonder that thing is still attached." She muttered, eyeing what he wasn't trying to hide.

"Still attached and working." He purred. They exchanged a moment of silence, a decision being made. Then Helen laughed and ducked from sight.

"Find someone else for seconds. I gotta go." Billy didn't hide his disappointment, because Helen didn't make another appearance in the doorway. So he went to her. Walking out into the living room, he caught her fixing her hair in the reflection of a window. He watched her rub her eyes and comb her messy mane with her fingers, a feeling of dread finally sank into his stomach. It was dark and ugly, like a cloud sitting in the distance. And it was nearing, only a few hours away.

"Ya sure about this?" He came up behind her slowly, watching her face in the window. She looked up into his eyes and they held, her expression hardening in understanding.

"Don't have much choice, do we?" She finally answered, avoiding his gaze to straighten the jacket on her shoulders. Billy took a final step, his jaw grazing her temple.

"You can always run." He whispered, his hands framing her hips. Helen sighed and stared at him, unreadable as she ground her jaw. When she finally did speak, she held his eyes.

"Like I said…" Turning around, she looked up at him, standing on her toes to kiss the left corner of his mouth. "…don't have much of a choice." With both hands, he held her there and kissed her again, this time slowly. When he pulled back, he didn't let go until she put her hands on top of his.

* * *

><p>When the phone call came, Joey groaned as he reached for the nightstand. Danny was lightly hugging him beneath the sheets, her hair tickling his chest. The bruises on his arms and torso hurt, but looked worse more than anything. And as he flipped the phone open, he pretended his split lip didn't hurt when he spoke.<p>

"Yeah?"

"Heard ya threw a fucking tantrum at the Roses." Billy's voice felt like a cup of coffee in Joey's belly, warming him with relief.

"Jesus Christ, where the fuck were ya?" As gently as he could, Joey moved from Danny's arms, sliding across the bed. When he stood, he swallowed a groan and walked out of the room. "I waited for ya all goddamn night."

"I was busy."

"Well I would fuckin' think so!" Joey hissed, grabbing handfuls of his hair to tug with irritation. "What's the fuckin' news with these Russian motherfuckers?" His blood was pumping through his veins as he thought about the asshole who'd threatened Danny's life.

"I'm takin' care of it, alright? You just lay low 'til this shit is over." Gritting his teeth, Joey nearly threw his phone across the room. Holding his voice down, he took a breath before he hissed his reply.

"Fuck that. I'm not waitin' around for shit." Looking back into their bedroom, he caught sight of her red hair in the mess of blankets. "I need ta know, Bill. I want that fucker."

"Listen ta me, Joe." Billy's voice lowered in warning, sending a flash of fear down his little brother's spine. There were only a few things in life that could ward Joey off, and that tone was one of them. It didn't always work, but it always resulted in Billy getting what he wanted, one way or another. "This shit is **my **problem. They came for **me**. You are going to **stay out of it**."

"FUCK THAT BILL." Joey didn't bother quieting his anger, spit flying from his lips as he yelled. "THEY TRIED TO KILL MY GIRL." Before he had a chance to continue, the line was dead, his brother hanging up without another word. Enraged, Joey threw his phone, watching it break against the wall and fall in pieces to the floor.

"Joey!" Danny was at his side in a heartbeat, her face shocked as she reached for him. "What's wrong? What happened?"

"He thinks I'm gonna just wait around?" He spat, pulling from her gentle hands. "FUCK HIM."

"Joey, stop." Her voice was stronger as he stumbled towards their bedroom, his face red and his hands shaking. It didn't matter that his face was a bruised mess. It didn't matter that his ribs hurt like hell and his gut was reeling. All he felt was rage. Pure, unfiltered rage. Pulling on his pants, he wandered around the bedroom looking for his keys. If his brother wasn't going to listen to him on the phone, he was going to hear him loud and clear in person.

"JOEY STOP." Danny's voice broke through and he whirled around, watching her pant lightly in the doorway. "You're not going **anywhere** until you tell me what the **hell** that was about!" Pointing back at his broken phone, Danny looked angry and scared, her bruises faded and yellow around her face. Meeting those determined eyes, Joey huffed a few breaths and ran his fingers through his messy hair.

"Billy is pushin' me out of the Russian thing. Won't let me in—"

"GOOD!" Danny threw up her hands. "Maybe then all this shit will STOP!" A tear slipped out of her eye, but she flicked it away like it meant nothing. "Joey, we've been on a rollercoaster of shit for so long. When can we just…STOP."

Throwing her hands up in the air again, she sat hard on the bed. "…I want to wake up in the morning knowing that you're going to be okay when I go to bed that night." Joey wiped his face in frustration, but he listened, hearing her over the roar of his pulse. "I want to go to the store alone and not be afraid! I want to have the chance to move into a house and own a car and marry you!"

Joey's heart stopped in his chest.

"Marry me?" Danny's flopped a hand on the bed and Joey sat beside her, his anger suddenly replaced with something very different.

"I'd like the opportunity." She whispered, gently stroking his face as to avoid his injuries, yet she didn't meet his gaze. "But if you chase after your brother, you'll end up just like him. Alone."

* * *

><p>Sid knew the exact moment Helen was in the house, because suddenly there were a whole lot of voices coming from downstairs. Unhappy voices. And when footsteps stomped up the stairs, he braced himself for an entrance.<p>

"Why the fuck did ya bury Neil without me?" Helen burst through the bathroom door without a knock, taking up the doorframe with her wrath. "I thought we fuckin' agreed—"

"Ya never came home, Hell. The fuck did ya want me ta do?" He murmured, careful to continue shaving his face with controlled strokes of his razor. In nothing but a towel and his skin, Sid stood at the sink, inches from the mirror.

"I would have waited for you!" She hissed, slapping his arm with a flick of her wrist. Closing his eyes, Sid missed cutting himself by a millisecond, holding in his irritation as he lowered his razor into the sink.

"The kid needed ta be put in the ground." He spoke carefully, looking back at the mirror only when he felt the control return to his temper. "If this shit tonight goes bad, at least one of us will get a proper burial."

She had no reply. Staring at him in the mirror, Helen watched as Sid smoothly shaved the remaining hair from his neck, tilting his head back to run the length of his jaw.

"So where were ya anyway?" The question instantly brought a darkness to her eyes, and Sid shook his head as he ran the razor under a stream of water. "Darley."

"Fuck you." She hissed.

"No, fuck you Hell." He turned his head to face her for the first time, shaving cream covering one of his cheeks. "Ya spent what could be your last night with that prick, and all the boys know it." Looking back into the mirror, he shook his head a second time before he started another stroke from his throat. They didn't speak for a long while, until his face was nearly clean. Helen simply watched him make long passes with his razor, her eyes hard and angry.

"I'm sorry."

The apology was so out of character, Sid nearly sliced his cheek open. Looking back at her, he set his razor down and cocked an eyebrow.

"What?" With a sigh, Helen leant against the doorframe.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here, okay?" She crossed her arms and stared down the hallway, her expression difficult to read. "I've got some shit ta figure out." Sid watched her for a moment, saw the way her eyes relaxed and her mouth loosened at the corners.

"Good thing we're all dyin' tonight." He finally broke the silence, wiping his face on a towel. Helen frowned in confusion. "Dead people don't have problems."

* * *

><p>Billy almost didn't answer the phone when it rang. Fresh out of the shower, he was tempted to shut it off for an hour or two. The world could fuck off. He had so much going on already, the last thing he wanted to do was allow the world back into things. Billy wanted to be in bed with Helen again. He wished he'd held her down, naked on that mattress, until they'd been fucking like the animals they were, forgetting all the complications that came with their lives.<p>

Unfortunately, he'd left after she'd driven off. And after a few short calls, he'd decided to wash away the previous night. He let it drip off in the scalding hot water, falling away like a lost memory. The plan was to move on like it had never happened.

So when the phone rang, it took him a few seconds to flip it open and speak.

"What?"

"The price has changed." His stomach turned ice cold as a familiar Russian accent bit into his ear.

"Is your boss too busy to talk to me himself, or are ya just his bitch?" He listened as the one-eyed Russian swore under his breath, and the phone was passed.

"Mr. Darley, I trust you had a pleasant night's sleep."

"The fuck is this bullshit about prices being changed?" Billy hissed into the phone, glaring at nothing in particular. "Are we partners, or what?" Andrei let out a little sigh, painting a picture of the snobby younger man perfectly in Billy's mind.

"I still vant Ms. Gates, but I want her alive, Mr. Darley." Billy swallowed, closing his eyes.

"Alive?"

"I vant you to bring her to me. Alive."

"So she can escape you assholes and come after me? Don't think so, pal." Faking Helen's death was one thing, but bringing her to Andrei alive was very much another. There weren't any tricks up his sleeve for this. Billy felt the heat of panic swirling in his gut. There wasn't a play for him to make.

"You bring her to me, tonight, at Marion Bay Storage, or I'll send this to the police."

His phone beeped angrily in his ear and Billy pulled it away, staring at a picture message. When it opened, the frown dropped from his face, leaving him blank.

"Do ve understand each other, Mr. Darley?"

* * *

><p>AN: Oh lord, I finally updated. I know it's been a while, and I'm so sorry, but life has been kinda crazy. A big thank you to ollie-oxycotyn for inspiring this chapter. :) I'm going to try and keep these chapters shorter so I can get more of them out on time. Hope you enjoy! Love you all.


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